Iran agrees to compensate downed plane victims’ families: Sweden

Sweden’s foreign minister says Tehran agreed to compensate the families of the foreign victims of the shot down plane.

Members of the International Red Crescent collect bodies of victims around the wreckage after an Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 carrying 176 people crashed near Imam Khomeini Airport in
The Boeing 737 aircraft was struck by two missiles [File: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]

Sweden has said that Iran has agreed to compensate the families of the foreign victims of a Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down outside Tehran in January.

The Boeing 737 aircraft was struck by two missiles and crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran’s airport on January 8, killing all 176 people on board.

The Islamic republic admitted days later that its forces accidentally shot down the Kyiv-bound jetliner.

“We have signed an agreement of mutual understanding that we will now negotiate with Iran about amends, compensation to the victims’ next of kin,” Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde told news agency TT on Thursday in a statement confirmed by her press secretary to the AFP news agency.

Linde said the agreement had been reached after negotiations with Iran and the countries with citizens among the victims.

While it was still unclear what sums would be paid out, Linde said there was “no doubt” that Iran would follow through on the compensation.

Among the victims of the PS752 flight, many were Iranian-Canadians, but there were also victims from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan and Ukraine, including the nine crew members.

Iranians light candles for victims of Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 during as they protest in front of the Amir Kabir University in Tehran, Iran, 11 January 2020. Media reported that h
Iranians light candles for victims of the PS752 flight [File: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
Source: News Agencies