Sweden: Iran to compensate Ukraine plane crash victims

iran-downed-plane

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, rescue workers search the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr, southwest of Tehran, Iran. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde said Thursday, July 1, 2020 that Iran had agreed to compensate the families’ of the foreign victims of a Ukrainian passenger plane that was shot down outside Tehran in January. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)

iran-downed-plane

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden says Iran has agreed to start talks on compensating families of the foreign victims of the Ukrainian passenger plane shot down outside Tehran in January. The victims included 57 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians, 17 people from Sweden, four Afghans and four British citizens, as well as Iranians. Iran denied for days its involvement but then announced that its military mistakenly and unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines. All 176 people on board were killed. Diplomats from nations that had lost citizens in the downing of the plane have for months been pushing Iran for more cooperation on the investigation and compensation issues.