Iranian Delegation To Visit Ukraine To Discuss Compensation For Shooting Down Passenger Jet

An Iranian delegation will visit Ukraine later this week to discuss compensation for a Ukrainian jet shot down by Iran on January 8, the Ukrainian foreign minister said.

“Given the circumstance of what happened, there are all reasons to ask from Iran to pay the highest price for what it did,” Dmytro Kuleba said at a news conference during a visit to Warsaw.

“I cannot disclose final numbers of the compensation…numbers will be the result of the consultations,” he said.

Kuleba said Ukraine would represent all countries and groups affected during the talks, which will take place July 29-30.

Iranian forces say they downed the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) passenger jet after mistaking it for a missile amid heightened tensions with the United States. All 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians, were killed.

The aircraft was shot down hours after Iran fired missiles at Iraqi air bases housing U.S. forces in retaliation for the U.S. drone killing of a senior Iranian commander.

The data extraction from the jet’s black boxes is being carried out in Paris. Canada’s Transportation Safety Board said on July 23 the download and preliminary analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data was finished but the investigation is far from over.

“The download and preliminary data analysis was an important milestone in what must be a thorough and transparent safety investigation,” said TSB Chair Kathy Fox in a statement.

Iran’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the investigation, which is being observed by Canadian, U.S., Swedish, and British experts and representatives from UIA, aircraft manufacturer Boeing, and engine maker Safran.

Based on reporting by Reuters