TEHRAN – The investigation into the Ukrainian plane crash in Iran five years ago is being reopened for a more thorough examination, prompted by identified deficiencies, according to the head of Iran’s Armed Forces Judicial Organization.

Ahmad Reza Pourkhaghan announced on Wednesday that the Armed Forces Judicial Organization is undertaking a comprehensive re-evaluation of the case. Addressing reporters during a visit to the Astara Customs Directorate, Pourkhaghan stressed that Iranian authorities have consistently treated this matter with utmost priority since the beginning.

“Expert committees within our country have rigorously scrutinized every facet of the incident, and international experts, including those from Ukraine, have also traveled to Iran to contribute to the investigation,” Pourkhaghan explained.

He further detailed that after exhaustive inquiries into the circumstances of the crash and the collection of statements from the victims' families, an initial verdict was rendered. However, following appeals from the plaintiffs, the Judiciary subsequently referred the case to Iran's Supreme Court for further review.

“The Supreme Court conducted a detailed assessment of the case, and in the process, noted several shortcomings in the initial investigation. As a result, the case has been sent back to the Armed Forces Judicial Organization for a more meticulous and comprehensive re-examination,” Pourkhaghan clarified.

On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 crashed shortly after taking off from Tehran, resulting in the devastating loss of all 176 passengers and crew members on board.

The aircraft was unintentionally struck by Iran’s air defense system, which, under the intense pressure of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, mistakenly identified the civilian plane as a hostile military target. This occurred in the days following the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

Last year, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) was negligent and solely liable for the Flight PS752 tragedy. The court found UIA failed to adequately assess risks associated with operating out of Tehran amidst escalating US-Iran tensions, specifically citing their knowledge of previous Iranian military actions and the recent assassination of a top Iranian general. Despite this awareness, UIA did not take reasonable steps to mitigate those risks, choosing to operate the flight as scheduled despite having initially considered alternatives like rerouting or cancellation.

Political exploitation of a tragedy 

Since the tragic plane crash, Western countries including Canada, Sweden, and the UK have been attempting to exploit the tragedy for political objectives by claiming that Iran downed the plane intentionally. While the outrageous assertion has never been backed by evidence or any logical explanation, the three countries alongside Ukraine referred the incident to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2023. The ICJ has never made a ruling on the case. 

Families of the victims have been offered life-time benefits by Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. The government has also been ordered to pay compensations separately. 

Multiple military personnel have so far been sentenced to jail over the plane crash.  The main defendant in the trial was the unnamed commander of the Tor M1 surface-to-air missile defense system that mistakenly shot down the aircraft.