Iran To Turn Over Black Boxes From Downed Ukrainian Jet To France Soon - Statement

TORONTO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd June, 2020) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne that Iran will turn over the black boxes from the downed Ukrainian jet to France without any delay, a readout of the conversation revealed.

"Minister Zarif committed to Iran sending the flight recorders to France for analysis without further delay," the readout from Global Affairs Canada said on Monday. "Iran will detail its progress on this issue at the International Civil Aviation Organization this week."

Zarif said his country is ready to enter negotiations about reparations to the families of the victims and will update the group of grieving nations - Afghanistan, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom - on next steps at its next sitting.

In March, the Iran Civil Aviation Organization confirmed that flight data recorders from flight PS752 flight downed in Tehran in January will be sent to Ukraine or France for decryption.

The handover was, however, delayed by the worsening conditions due to the novel coronavirus pandemic in Iran.

Iran's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has the authority to download the data at a location of its choosing because it is heading the probe, according to international guidelines.

Canada, however, has said there are problems with decoding the data in Iran because the black boxes are damaged and may require US parts, which is complicated by the strict US sanctions regime against Tehran.

Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran claiming the lives of 167 passengers - mostly Canadian and Iranian nationals and nine Ukrainian crew members - after being shot down mistakenly by the Iranian authorities.