TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2020) Iran bears full responsibility for downing a Ukrainian jet earlier this month that left 176 people dead, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference on Friday.
In an interview earlier this week, Trudeau said the passengers would still be alive if tensions had not recently escalated in the region. In response to the prime minister's comment, US House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Iran is fully responsible for the incident and the United States is not to blame.
"The Iranians bear full responsibility for having shot down a civilian airline with 57 Canadians aboard, 176 passengers," Trudeau said.
Trudeau also said that Canada will work with the international community to ease tension in the region on all sides.
On January 8, a UIA Boeing 737 crashed near Tehran killing all 176 passengers and crew. Iran admitted it unintentionally downed the aircraft having confused it with a hostile cruise missile amid tensions and possible war with the United States. Most of the passengers were Iranians and Canadians flying to Toronto with a stopover in Kiev.
