Iran denies downing plane, says West should share evidence

Iran on Friday denied Western allegations that one of its own missiles downed a Ukrainian jetliner that crashed outside Tehran, and called on US and Cana to share any information y have on crash, which killed all 176 people on board.

Western leers said plane appeared to have been unintentionally hit by a surface-to-air missile just hours after Iran launched around a dozen ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq to avenge killing of its top general in an American airstrike last week.

"What is obvious for us, and what we can say with certainty, is that missile hit plane," Ali Abedzeh, he of Iran's national aviation department, told a press conference.

"If y are really sure, y should come and show ir findings to world" in accordance with international standards, he ded.

Hassan Rezaeifar, he of Iranian investigation team, said recovering data from black box flight recorders could take more than a month and that entire investigation could stretch into next year. He also said Iran may request help from international experts if it is t able to extract flight recordings.

ballistic missile attack on bases in Iraq caused casualties, raising hopes that standoff over killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani would end relatively peacefully, though Iran has sent mixed signals over wher its retaliation is complete.

If US or Cana were to present incontrovertible evidence that plane was shot down by Iran, even if unintentionally, it could have a dramatic impact on public opinion in Iran.

Iranian public h rallied around leership after killing of Soleimani last Friday, with hundreds of thousands joining general's funeral processions in several cities, in an unprecedented display of grief and unity.

But sentiments in Iran are still raw over government's crackdown on large-scale protests late last year sparked by an ecomic crisis exacerbated by US sanctions. Several hundred protesters were reported to have been killed in clampdown.

Those fissures could quickly break open again if Iranian authorities are seen to be responsible for deaths of 176 people, mainly Iranians or dual Iranian-Canian citizens.

US, Canian and British officials said Thursday it is "highly likely" that Iran shot down Boeing 737 that crashed near Tehran late Tuesday. US officials said jetliner might have been mistakenly identified as a threat.

Canian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country lost at least 63 citizens in downing, said, "We have intelligence from multiple sources including our allies and our own intelligence. evidence indicates that plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile."

US officials did t say what intelligence y h that pointed to an Iranian missile, believed to be fired by Russian Tor system, kwn to NATO as SA-15. But y ackwledged existence of satellites and or sensors in region, as well as likelihood of communication interceptions and or similar intelligence.

Western countries may hesitate to share information on such a strike because it comes from highly classified sources.

Videos verified by Associated Press appear to show final seconds of ill-fated airliner, which h just taken off from Iran early Wednesday.

In one video, a fast-moving light can be seen through trees as someone films from ground. light appears to be burning plane, which plummets to earth as a huge fireball illuminates landscape.

Someone off-camera says in Farsi: " plane has caught fire...In name of God, compassionate, merciful. God, please help us. Call fire department!" Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, " missile ory is t ruled out, but it has t been confirmed yet."

In a Facebook post, he reiterated his call "on all international partners" — US, Britain and Cana in particular — to share data and evidence relevant to crash. He also anunced plans to discuss investigation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later on Friday.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Vym Prystaiko tweeted that he and president met with US embassy officials Friday and obtained "important data" about crash. minister didn't specify what kind of data it was, but said it would be "processed by our specialists".

In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham aired late Thursday, Pompeo said crash may have been caused by a "mechanical failure" but that commercial airliners need to kw if it is safe to fly into and out of Tehran.

"If international community needs to shut down that airport, so be it," he said. "We need to get to bottom of this very, very quickly."

Iran's state-run IRNA news ncy quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying Iran "has invited both Ukraine and Boeing company to participate in investigations".

He later said a 10-member Canian delegation was heing to Iran to assist victims' families.

Iran h initially said it would t allow Boeing to take part in probe, going against prevailing international rms on crash investigations. It later invited US accident-investigating ncy to take part in investigation.

A preliminary Iranian investigative report released Thursday said that airliner pilots never me a rio call for help and that burning plane was trying to turn back for airport when it went down. 

(im credit: AP)