Iran initially denied that the
passenger jet was hit by a missile, but later conceded that the aircraft was
hit by its air defense systems.
When the video was shared on social
media, it led analysts to say it showed the plane was hit by a missile.
Iranian media reported that the
country’s elite Revolutionary Guards had taken a person who posted a video last
week of the missile striking the plane into custody.
However, an Iranian journalist based
in London who initially posted the footage has insisted that his source is
safe, and that the Iranian authorities have arrested the wrong person.
On January 14, Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said that
several people had been detained over the downing of the plane.
He added that about 30 people had been arrested for “taking part in
illegal gatherings” – an apparent reference to recent anti-government
protests.
Separately the New York Times said
security camera footage showed two missiles were fired at the plane, more than
20 seconds apart.
The paper said this would explain why the plane’s transponder seemed to have stopped working before the missile strike – it had been disabled by the first missile.
About 1,000 of protesters have taken
to the streets in Iran’s capital, Tehran, to vent anger at officials, calling
them liars for having denied shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane.
Protests took place outside at least
two universities, with tear gas reportedly fired.
President Donald Trump tweeted
support for the “inspiring” protests.
On January 11, Iran admitted downing
the jet “unintentionally”, three days after the crash that killed 176
people.
Ukraine International Airlines
flight PS752, en route to Kyiv, was shot down on January 8 near Imam Khomeini
Airport in Tehran shortly after take-off, and only hours after Iran had fired
missiles at two air bases housing US forces in Iraq.
Those attacks were Iran’s response
to the US killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on January
3.
Dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as
well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany died on the
plane.
According to local reports, students gathered outside at least two universities,
Sharif and Amir Kabir, initially to pay respect to the victims. Protests turned
angry in the evening.
The semi-official Fars news agency
carried a rare report of the unrest, saying up to 1,000 people had chanted
slogans against leaders and tore up pictures of Qasem Soleimani.
The students called for those
responsible for the downing the plane, and those they said had covered up the
action, to be prosecuted.
Chants included
“commander-in-chief resign”, referring to Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei, and “death to liars”.
According to Fars, police had “dispersed” the protesters, who were
blocking roads. Social media footage appeared to show tear gas being fired.
Social media users also vented anger
at the government’s actions.
The protests were, however, far
smaller than the mass demonstrations across Iran in support of Qasem Soleimani
after he was killed.
President Trump tweeted in both
English and Farsi, saying: “To the
brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning
of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you.
“We are following your protests closely. Your courage
is inspiring.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted video of the protests
in Iran, saying: “The voice of the
Iranian people is clear. They are fed up with the regime’s lies, corruption,
ineptitude, and brutality of the IRGC [Revolutionary Guards] under Khamenei’s
kleptocracy. We stand with the Iranian people who deserve a better
future.”
For three days, Iran had denied reports its missiles had brought down the Ukraine
jet, with one spokesman accusing Western nations of “lying and engaging in
psychological warfare”.
However, on January 11, a statement read on state TV accepted the plane had
been shot down.
Brig-Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace commander,
explained what happened.
The general said a missile operator had acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a “cruise missile” as there had been reports that such missiles had been fired at Iran.
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