PROTESTERS in Iran’s capital demanded the resignation of
senior leaders following the admission by authorities – after initial denials – that Iranian forces accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board. Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 bound for Kyiv, Ukraine, crashed minutes after take-off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran on Wednesday. It happened just hours after Iran launched missile attacks on US forces in Iraq in retaliation for the US assassination of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.
There is no doubt that the plane was accidentally hit and according to President Hassan Rouhani a military probe into the tragedy had found “missiles fired due to human error” brought down the Boeing 737, calling it an “unforgivable mistake” but the blunder has undermined the wave of unity and solidarity that one witnessed after killing of Iranian General by the United States. It has also taken some focus away from the US aggression as world leaders are criticising the accidental killing and calling for measures to prevent such tragedies in future. Ukraine President Zelenskiy has demanded a full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, the return of the bodies of the dead, the payment of compensation and official apologies through diplomatic channels. But more importantly, these have served as an excuse to reignite anti-government demonstrations that had subsided following American attack. The issue of demonstrations and their handling is also being used as an excuse by President Donald Trump to hurl threats on Iran. There is need for adoption of a pragmatic approach in handling the new situation and also responding to the repeated calls by the world leadership for reduction of tension in the region.
