FOLLOWING the plane crash in Iran that led to the demise of all passengers aboard the aircraft, ministers of affected nationals say they would soon converge to discuss possible legal actions.
After days of denial, Iran admitted on Saturday to downing a Ukrainian Airlines Boeing 737 by mistake.
According to Sputniknews, the five countries whose nationals died in the downing tragedy in Iran last week will gather for a meeting on Thursday, to discuss possible legal action against Iran.
Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, on an official visit to Singapore revealed that matters concerning compensation and the investigation of the “disastrous mistake” would be discussed during the meeting.
He said: “We have created a group of foreign ministers from the grieving nations. On 16 January, we will meet in London to discuss the means, including legal, to follow up on this, and how we will move forward in holding Iran responsible.
Prystaiko dismissed Irans comment about the plane flying near a sensitive military installation as ‘nonsense’.
He noted that the aircraft was travelling according to the international route provided by dispatchers.
“This is the Iranian government’s responsibility. We have to dig out who gave the order, who pushed the button. Everything, all these people should be punished.”
Since the crash that killed all 176 people on board including citizens of Iran, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and Iran’s later ‘confession of shame’, aggrieved citizens have taken to the streets in the Islamic country in nationwide demonstrations calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran.
“Death to the dictator,” and “Down with the dictator shouted protesters, directing their fury directly at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989 in unverified video footage by Reuters.