Iran: Didn’t cover up info on crash
TEHRAN/DUBAI/WASHINGTON: Iran on Monday denied covering up the fact that a Ukrainian plane was accidentally shot down last week, a disaster that sparked demonstrations and calls for a fully transparent investigation.
The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was brought down by a missile shortly after taking off Wednesday from Tehran, killing all 176 passengers and crew on board. Iran initially denied Western claims based on US intelligence that the airliner had been struck by a missile before acknowledging it on Saturday. Its handling of the matter saw a memorial at a Tehran university turn into a demonstration on Saturday evening before it was dispersed by police. Video of some of the demonstrations appeared to show police using live ammunition on protesters.
Britain summoned the Iranian ambassador on Monday to protest the detention of London’s envoy to Tehran during the weekend protests. Ambassador Rob Macaire was arrested on Saturday.
“In these sorrowful days, many criticisms were directed at relevant officials and authorities,” said government spokesman Ali Rabiei. “Some officials were even accused of lying and a cover-up but, in all honesty, that was not the case.” The spokesman said all details provided by officials before Saturday’s revelation had been based on the information they had. “All of those who expressed opinions on those days, at the peak of America’s psychological war... did so based on existing information at the time.” ern Iraq on Monday, days after it was struck by a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles. The Iranian attack was in retaliation for the US drone strike near Baghdad airport that killed a top Iranian commander, Gen Qassem Soleimani, prompting angry calls to avenge his slaying.
TRUMP DEFENDS KILLING OF SOLEIMANI
US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to kill Soleimani, contending he posed an impending threat to the US but also saying that was not important given the military leader’s history. “The Fake News Media and their Democrat Partners are working hard to determine whether or not the future attack by terrorist Soleimani was ‘imminent’ or not, & was my team in agreement.” Trump wrote on Twitter.
“The answer to both is a strong YES., but it doesn’t really matter because of his horrible past!”