LONDON: A meeting of countries whose citizens were killed when Iran shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane will meet in London on Thursday to make clear what Tehran needs to do next.
Iran said its military “unintentionally” shot down the jet on Jan. 8 killing all 176 people aboard, after initially repeatedly denying Western accusations that it was responsible.
The international coordination and response group for the families of the victims will meet at the High Commission of Canada in London.
The meeting includes the foreign ministers of Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and the UK.
Canada’s Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said Wednesday that the meeting aims to achieve consensus on the next steps and will make clear to Iran what it needs to do.
The meeting led by Canada’s foreign minister François-Philippe Champagne will discuss the need for a “thorough investigation and how to secure full cooperation from Iranian authorities to achieve closure, accountability, transparency and justice — including compensation — for the families and loved ones of the victims.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that his government intends to ask Tehran for compensation for the families of Canadian victims, which Ottawa officials said Wednesday was a top priority.
The plane was shot down hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad. No one was wounded in the attack on the bases.
Among the victims of the crash were 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 10 Swedes, four Afghans, three Germans and three British nationals.
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