‘Questions must be answered’: Justin Trudeau vows government will get answers over Iran plane crash

Justin Trudeau has suggested that the plane shot down by Iran might not be an accident, saying “questions must be asked”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed his government will get answers after a Ukrainian passenger jet crashed, killing 57 Canadians, just minutes after taking off from Iran’s capital.

The Prime Minister has suggested that the plane crash might not be as accidental as Iranian authorities have made out.

Iran said earlier on Saturday it shot down the plane with 176 aboard because of a “disastrous” and “human error.”

“Canada and the world still have many questions, questions that must be answered,” Mr Trudeau said in a news conference on Saturday.

“It is absolutely necessary that Canada participate in this investigation. We expect the full co-operation of Iranian authorities,” he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed his government will get answers after a Ukrainian passenger jet crashed, killing 57 Canadians, just minutes after taking off from Iran’s capital. Picture: Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP

Though Canada has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 2012, Mr Trudeau spoke to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earlier in the day after Rouhani said the military’s shooting down of the plane was a “disastrous mistake”.

Rouhani committed to collaborating with Canadian investigators, working to de- escalate tensions in the region, and continuing a dialogue, Mr Trudeau said.

Trudeau said a “full and complete” investigation is crucial in determining whether the downing of the airliner had indeed been a mistake, and he said compensation by Iran to the families should be “part of the mix”. Mr Trudeau said he told Rouhani that Iran’s admission it unintentionally shot down the passenger jet was “an important step”, but he added that more steps must be taken to have “full clarity on how such a horrific tragedy could have occurred”. Mr Trudeau said he was furious and outraged.

“Canada will not rest until we get the accountability, justice, and closure that the families deserve,” he said.

The flight included many Canadian international students and a Canadian family of four.

Justin Trudeau has suggested that the plane crash might not be as accidental as Iranian authorities have made out. Picture; National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine/AFP

IRAN’S SPLIT SECOND DECISION

Iran’s military blamed human error.

They claimed that a missile operator opened fire on the Boeing 737 because his communications jammed and he thought he had to take out an incoming missile

In a post on Twitter, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohamad Javad Zarif, apologised but appeared to also blame American “adventurism” for the tragedy, writing: “Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster.

A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces:

Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster

Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.
💔

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 11, 2020

PROTESTS IN IRAN RIGHT NOW

According to multiple reports, hundreds rallied in the streets of the Iranian capital calling this morning for the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to resign after the “disastrous” mistake.

Some don’t just want him to resign, with signs reading: “Resignation is not enough, prosecution is what is needed.”

Reports and videos from the scene appear to show security forces using tear gas on demonstrators to disperse the crowds.

Chants in #Tehran in the last hour in reaction to admission of guilt by #Iran’s IRGC in the downing of #UkrainePlaneCrash/#IranPlaneCrash : “Resignation is not enough, prosecutions is what is needed” pic.twitter.com/sUITvcxAnQ

— Bahman Kalbasi (@BahmanKalbasi) January 11, 2020

UKRAINE’S RESPONSE

Top officials of the Ukrainian airline whose plane was shot down in Iran are criticising Iranian authorities for keeping their civilian airspace open amid hostilities with the U.S.

Ihor Sosnovskiy, the airline’s vice president, says the decision was “absolutely irresponsible.” At a news conference Saturday, he said “When you act in war then you act however you wish. But there must be protection around ordinary people. If they are shooting somewhere from somewhere, they are obliged to close the airport.”

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the nation after Iran acknowledged earlier that it accidentally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 people aboard. Picture: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP