Iran’s Shamkhani, Ukrainian Delegation Discuss Downed Plane
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A high-ranking delegation from Ukraine attended a meeting with Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani about various issues, including the crash of a Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran last month.
During the meeting in Tehran on Sunday, Shamkhani and the Ukrainian delegation, headed by Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov, exchanged views about a host of topics, including ways to boost bilateral relations.
The two sides also discussed the Ukraine airliner that was mistakenly shot down by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) near Tehran in January.
The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said the country’s air defense unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian passenger plane on January 8 amid the highest level of readiness because of a possible military attack by the US.
All 176 people on board the plane were killed.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei ordered the Iranian Armed Forces to hold an inquiry about the faults and shortcomings that resulted in the unintentional downing of the plane.
Expressing his deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of the incident, the Leader urged the relevant officials to take the necessary cautionary measures in order to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.