Ukraine President to speak to Mike Pompeo about Iran plane crash probe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he would speak to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on January 10 in wake of claims that Tehran h shot down Ukrainian airliner, killing 176 people. Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after takeoff in Iran on January 7, same day Iran fired multiple missiles on Iraqi military bases housing US troops. However, victims of crash included 11 Ukrainians along with 63 Canians. 

American, Canian, and British officials have said that ir intelligence sources indicate that it is 'highly likely' that Iran shot down jetliner after being 'mistakenly identified' as a threat. Ukrainian President posted on Facebook that ' version of a missile is t ruled out, but it has t yet been confirmed'. Zelensky furr repeated his country's request to be sent all information needed to conduct a thorough investigation and furr ded that he would talk to Pompeo later on Friday. 

Zelensky said, “Our goal is to establish undeniable truth. value of human life is above all political motives." 

Iranian ncy quoted its foreign ministry spokesperson saying that Iran has invited both Ukraine and Boeing company to participate in investigations'. spokesperson, Abbas Mousavi, also said it will also welcome experts from or countries whose citizens died in crash. secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council, Oleksiy Danilov earlier h said that investigators were pursuing several les following crash in Tehran including a strike with a surface-to-air missile like a Russian-me Tor, a collision with a drone, engine failure or an act of terror. 

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US joins probe into plane crash

US National Transportation Safety Board said on January 9 that it will join probe into Ukrainian Boeing airliner crash in Iran which killed 176 people. US-me Boeing 737 went down just minutes after takeoff from Tehran and shortly after Iran h fired multiple missiles at Iraqi military bases housing US troops. NTSB said that it h received a 'formal tification' from Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Civil Aviation Organisation of Iran. 

Re - Iran Invites Boeing, Ukraine To Join Probe Into Plane Crash That Killed 176

Under rules by United Nations aviation organisation, United States is entitled to participate in probe as Boeing jetliner was designed and built in US. However, re have been immediate comments from Boeing.  Trudeau, whose country lost its 63 citizens in crash, said, 'we have intelligence from multiple sources including our allies and our own intelligence.' He furr ded, ' evidence indicates that plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile'. UK PM Boris Johnson and Australian PM Scott Morrison offered similar statements. Morrison also said that it appeared to be a mistake. 

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(With PTI inputs)