European airlines told to avoid Iranian airspace after Iran admits shooting down plane
European airlines have been told to avoid Iranian airspace until further notice.
The EU Aviation Safety Agency says it follows Iran's admission that it accidentally shot down a passenger jet on Wednesday, European airlines
Iran has admitted its military accidentally shot down the Ukrainian passenger plane amid heightened tensions with the United States over the killing of senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike on January 3.
The Iranian government had previously denied accusations that it was responsible, but President Hassan Rouhani has now said missiles were fired “due to human error” and described it as “unforgivable” and a “disastrous mistake”.
US officials had already said the plane appeared to have been unintentionally hit by a surface-to-air missile near Tehran on Wednesday hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq to avenge the killing of its top general, Qassem Soleimani, in an American air strike.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for a full investigation.
"It is absolutely necessary that Canada participate in this investigation," he said. "We expect the full cooperation of Iranian authorities."
