This archive report was first published on 13 January 2020.
On January 13, 2020, Iran's government faced intense scrutiny over its handling of the downing of a Ukrainian airliner, which killed all 176 passengers and crew on board.
Government spokesman Ali Rabiei denied allegations of a 'cover-up' after it took days for the armed forces to admit the airliner was shot down by mistake last week.
The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was shot down shortly after it took off from Tehran before dawn on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
The Kiev-bound airliner was brought down hours after Iran had launched a wave of missiles at US troops stationed at Iraqi bases in retaliation for the killing of a top Iranian general.
Iran initially denied Western claims based on US intelligence that the passenger plane had been struck by a missile before admitting it on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
President Hassan Rouhani promised a 'thorough investigation' into the air disaster in a telephone call with Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Sunday night, January 12, 2020.
Iran has invited experts from Canada, France, Ukraine, and the United States to take part in the investigation into the air disaster.
