Investigation of the Boeing 737 crash

1 Iran

The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran has published a report on the initial investigation of the crash of the fallen Ukrainian airplane Boeing 737. According to the report — the airplane caught fire even before it collided with the ground. «The airplane caught fire in the air. According to the eyewitnesses — the fire was visible on the airplane. The flame spread all over the fuselage» — the agency reported. It was noted that the flight path of the airliner indicates that after the occurrence of the malfunction — the crew turned the airplane back towards the airport. There was no report of an unusual flight circumstances from the crew.

2 Ukraine

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is considering several possible reasons of the crash of the Ukrainian Boeing airplane in Iran. The current guesses are: a hit of the Ukrainian Boeing aircraft from a Russian-made AA missile system ‘TOR’, an act of terrorism, or an engine explosion due to technical reasons. The Ukrainian International Airlines gathered a ‘State Commission for the Investigation of the Boeing Aircraft Disaster’. The group consists of 45 people. They arrived in Tehran tonight.

3 the USA

The Washington Post reports, while citing senior officials in the US administration, that Iran carried out a missile strike on the US bases in Iraq in a way that would avoid serious damage. According to the Washington Post interlocutor — this step allowed Iran to «save their face», and avoid the full-scale hostilities. The missile attacks on the US bases in Iraq were an act of revenge for the assassination of the Iranian General Kassem Suleimani. Donald Trump announced new sanctions against Tehran.

4 the UN

The Reuters reports that the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Kelly Kraft, sent a letter to the UN Security Council in which she announced Washington’s readiness for negotiations with Iran without preconditions in order to reduce tensions in the region. According to Kelly Kraft — the US is trying to «prevent a further threat to the international peace and stability, and a possible escalation from the Iranian regime». The Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN responded that the US proposal could not be accepted since Washington imposes sanctions against Iran.