Iran denies shooting down Ukrainian airline, Ukraine is unsure, but evidence is mounting


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Britain and Canada said publicly on Thursday that their intelligence strongly suggests Iran shot down a Ukrainian International Airlines passenger jet minutes after takeoff from Tehran's main airport Wednesday morning, probably by accident, and U.S. intelligence officials told the news media they had a high level of confidence that Iran had brought down the Boeing 737-800 with Russian-made surface-to-air missiles. Iranian officials strongly disputed the claim. Most of the 176 passengers were Iranian, and 63 were Canadian.
"The plane, which was initially headed west to leave the airport zone, turned right following a problem and was headed back to the airport at the moment of the crash," said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. The plane was "on fire" before it crashed, so "scientifically, it is impossible that a missile hit the Ukrainian plane, and such rumors are illogical," he added. The New York Times, which has verified video of the strike, explains that the plane wouldn't have blown up midair because Iran's air defense system "is designed to explode near aircraft, creating shrapnel that takes a plane out of the sky, rather than directly hit it."
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky wrote on social media that "the missile version is not ruled out, but it has not been confirmed yet." He asked "all international partners, in particular the governments of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, to submit data and evidence concerning the air crash to the commission investigating its causes." Ukrainian crash investigators in Tehran are seeking permission to search the crash site for missile fragments, though Iranian TV "showed the crash site being bulldozed," BBC News reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Iran has invited the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing to join the international investigation of the crash, and the NTSB confirmed Thursday night it has designated an accredited investigator. Watch The Associated Press' Zeke Miller explain how U.S.-Iranian tensions and sanctions complicate U.S. participation. Peter Weber
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
What to know when filing a hurricane insurance claim
The Explainer A step-by-step to figure out what insurance will cover and what else you can do beyond filing a claim
By Becca Stanek Published
-
How fees impact your investment portfolio — and how to save on them
The Explainer Even seemingly small fees can take a big bite out of returns
By Becca Stanek Published
-
Enemy without
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
The US will soon finish destroying its last chemical weapons
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
Putin and Prigozhin offer rival explanations for Wagner's brief rebellion
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
The future of the Wagner Group is murky
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Wagner Group stops armed rebellion toward Moscow
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published