Canada, the UK, Sweden, and Ukraine have announced their intention to take Iran to the International Court of Justice to seek damages for the families of passengers on a jet that was shot down by Tehran.
In January 2020, Iranian forces mistakenly shot down Ukraine Airlines flight PS752 shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
The four countries have been seeking reparations on behalf of the victims’ families, but their latest attempt to have Iran submit to binding arbitration under a 1971 multilateral treaty on threats to civil aviation has failed.
In a joint statement, they said they intend to pursue collective efforts to ensure Iran is held accountable and will refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice as soon as possible.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated that “together, we will seek the transparency, accountability and justice families deserve. Impunity is not an option.” Iran has also taken Canada to the International Court of Justice, accusing Ottawa of allowing victims of alleged terrorist attacks to claim damages from Tehran.
Tehran’s case claims that Ottawa breached Iran’s state immunity by listing the Islamic republic as a sponsor of terrorism in 2012.
