Iran faces legal action over downing of Ukrainian plane

Iran is being taken to the International Court of Justice over the shooting down of a Ukraine International Airlines flight in January 2020.

The case has been brought by four countries — Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

In 2020, Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 from Tehran to Kyiv was hit by two missiles shortly after taking off. All 176 people on board were killed. Iranian officials said the downing of the aircraft was an accident caused by human error when operating a surface-to-air missile defense system.

The four countries — who all lost citizens in the crash — argued Iran “failed to take all practicable measures to prevent the unlawful and intentional commission of an offence.” They also say that in the aftermath of the crash, Iran failed to undertake impartial, transparent and fair criminal investigations and prosecutions.

In December 2022, Iran failed to respond to a request for arbitration, so the countries took the case to the International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ highest court. If the court rules against Iran, families of the victims could receive an apology as well as compensation.