02:58NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran/Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto-1 TV/Iran International
Head of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO.IRI) Ali Abedzadeh denied allegations that the Ukrainian airliner that recently crashed near Tehran may have been shot down by missiles. The statement was made during a press conference in Tehran on Friday.
"What is evident for us and we can say with certainty is this plane was not hit by missiles. As I said last night, the plane was on fire for than 1.5 minutes and it was still flying and the plane's location shows that the pilot had decided to return," said Abedzadeh, before adding that circulating videos "could not be scientifically correct."
"Boeing has not confirmed this [reports of missiles hitting the plane], this has been said by US politicians and if this is their expert opinion, they should announce to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and they are obliged to, because these reports must land on ICAO's website so the world can see. This was announced by their politicians."
Abedzadeh added that retrieving date from the black box could prove "difficult," and that help will be asked from other countries in the event that Iran cannot "retrieve the info."
The Ukrainian International Airlines' Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after take-off near Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday morning, killing all 176 people on board.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump implied that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by "mistake."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Canada has evidence indicating that the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was "shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile" and it "will not rest" until there has been a "thorough and credible investigation" to determine the cause of the fatal crash.
Iran: Tehran denies allegations missile downed Ukrainian plane
Head of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO.IRI) Ali Abedzadeh denied allegations that the Ukrainian airliner that recently crashed near Tehran may have been shot down by missiles. The statement was made during a press conference in Tehran on Friday.
"What is evident for us and we can say with certainty is this plane was not hit by missiles. As I said last night, the plane was on fire for than 1.5 minutes and it was still flying and the plane's location shows that the pilot had decided to return," said Abedzadeh, before adding that circulating videos "could not be scientifically correct."
"Boeing has not confirmed this [reports of missiles hitting the plane], this has been said by US politicians and if this is their expert opinion, they should announce to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and they are obliged to, because these reports must land on ICAO's website so the world can see. This was announced by their politicians."
Abedzadeh added that retrieving date from the black box could prove "difficult," and that help will be asked from other countries in the event that Iran cannot "retrieve the info."
The Ukrainian International Airlines' Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after take-off near Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday morning, killing all 176 people on board.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump implied that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by "mistake."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Canada has evidence indicating that the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was "shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile" and it "will not rest" until there has been a "thorough and credible investigation" to determine the cause of the fatal crash.
NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran/Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto-1 TV/Iran International
Head of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO.IRI) Ali Abedzadeh denied allegations that the Ukrainian airliner that recently crashed near Tehran may have been shot down by missiles. The statement was made during a press conference in Tehran on Friday.
"What is evident for us and we can say with certainty is this plane was not hit by missiles. As I said last night, the plane was on fire for than 1.5 minutes and it was still flying and the plane's location shows that the pilot had decided to return," said Abedzadeh, before adding that circulating videos "could not be scientifically correct."
"Boeing has not confirmed this [reports of missiles hitting the plane], this has been said by US politicians and if this is their expert opinion, they should announce to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and they are obliged to, because these reports must land on ICAO's website so the world can see. This was announced by their politicians."
Abedzadeh added that retrieving date from the black box could prove "difficult," and that help will be asked from other countries in the event that Iran cannot "retrieve the info."
The Ukrainian International Airlines' Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after take-off near Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday morning, killing all 176 people on board.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump implied that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by "mistake."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that Canada has evidence indicating that the Ukrainian Boeing 737 was "shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile" and it "will not rest" until there has been a "thorough and credible investigation" to determine the cause of the fatal crash.