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Five countries demand compensation for Iran plane crash victims

Governments are demanding compensation for the victim's of the Iran plane crash.

Governments are demanding compensation for the victim's of the Iran plane crash. Photo: Getty

The governments of five countries that lost citizens when Iran shot down a Ukrainian airliner have demanded Tehran accept “full responsibility” and pay compensation to the victims’ families.

After a meeting in London, foreign ministers from Canada, the UK, Afghanistan, Sweden and Ukraine urged Iran to allow a “thorough, independent and transparent international investigation”, as well as a criminal probe and “impartial” judicial proceedings.

All 176 people on board the Ukraine International Airlines aircraft died when it was brought down by ballistic missiles shortly after taking off from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on January 8.

The victims included 57 Canadian citizens as well as 11 Ukrainians, 17 people from Sweden, four Afghans and four British citizens, as well as Iranians.

“We are here to pursue closure, accountability, transparency and justice” for the victims, Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Thursday.

Mr Champagne had met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Ann Linde, Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and UK Middle East Minister Andrew Murrison.

Before the meeting at the Canadian High Commission, ministers from the five nations lit candles at a vigil in memory of the dead passengers and crew members.

Iran initially blamed a technical fault for the plane crash, before acknowledging in the face of mounting evidence that its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had accidentally brought down the jetliner.

Mr Champagne said it was a “good first step” that Iran had accepted responsibility.

“From that admission obviously flow consequences,” he said, including the need to pay compensation.

In keeping with international norms, Iran has invited Ukraine, Canada, the United States and France to take part in the crash investigation.

The Boeing 737 was built in the United States and the engine was built by a US-French consortium.

But it’s unclear whether Iran will share all key details or give the countries’ experts full access.

-AAP

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