‘Death to the liars’ – Iran crowds call for Ayatollah to step down
As Tehran f inally admits it shot down jet, killing 176 people...
THOUSANDS of Iranians took to the streets last night in protest at their government’s lies over the missile attack which downed a passenger jet.
In unprecedented scenes, the crowds faced down police officers armed with tear gas and water cannon as they chanted ‘Death to liars’ and other slogans critical of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The scenes follow Tehran’s admission – after three days of denials – that the Boeing 737-800 was hit by Iranian surface-to-air missiles.
It is believed the Ukraine International Airlines plane, which had just taken off from Tehran’s main airport, was mistaken for a US cruise missile. According to Iranian officials, a lone air defence officer had just ten seconds to decide whether to open fire.
The tragedy came just hours after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at US targets in Iraq. Among the 176 passengers who lost their lives were three Britons, 82 Iranians, at least 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians.
Last night’s protests began after a televised statement by General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps aerospace division. He said the Corps took full responsibility for the disaster, adding he wished he could die when he heard about the incident.
Many protesters believe the government admitted responsibility only because Ukrainian investigators and Western intelligence agencies had already reached the same conclusion.
The demonstrations came as The Mail on Sunday learned that Boris Johnson is to meet Richard Ratcliffe to discuss his wife Nazanin, 41, who has suffered severe panic attacks since General Qasem Soleimani’s assassination amid fears the crisis will worsen her plight.
The UK has demanded her release since she was detained in April 2016 on spying charges during a visit to her parents with her then 21-monthold daughter Gabriella, who started school in the UK last week.
Mr Ratcliffe, 44, said: ‘Our meeting with the Prime Minister should be next week. Nazanin sounded very tired when I last spoke to her. She has also experienced chest pains.’
Her case has proved problematic for Mr Johnson who, as Foreign Secretary, was forced to apologise after suggesting she had been in Iran to train journalists.
In a disturbing development, The Mail on Sunday has also learned that SAS-trained Iraqi Special Forces in Baghdad have pledged their allegiance to Iran in protest at the US assassination of General Soleimani.
Pictures show the British-backed assault teams showing solidarity with Iran and terrorist groups – including the Lebanon-based Hezbollah – linked to the Ayatollahs in Tehran.
Defence analysts fear Hezbollah, which is financed by Iran, is planning attacks on US and UK targets.
In the pictures, the soldiers are making the same hand sign as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah did in a recent interview in which he swore to make the United States regret the Iranian general’s death.