TEHRAN (Combined Sources)—Armenians in Iran held demonstrations at the Tehran-based Caspian Airlines Company on Tuesday, where they called on company officials and the Iranian authorities to give a proper accounting of the circumstances surrounding a deadly July 15 plane crash that killed all 168 passengers on board the flight, reported Tehran’s Armenian Alik Daily.
The protestors were mainly friends and family of the 40 Armenian victims of the flight, which had been traveling from Tehran, Iran to Yerevan, Armenia.
The tragedy, which prompted Armenia’s leaders to declare a national day of mourning, was quietly brushed aside in Iran. No day of mourning was announced and the Iranian transport minister was absent from the scene. The demonstrators responded to this inaction by presenting a list of 14 demands, which in part called on the Iranian authorities to take public responsibility for the disaster.
A working group investigating the crash has said that it will take two months to ascertain what exactly caused the Russian-made Tupolev plane to crash in northwestern Iran. Although the plane’s black box has already been found, investigators continue to search for the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), which they say will provide vital details about the crash. .
According to Alik, Iranian police attempted to break up the demonstration, dispersing the protestors and arresting an Armenian reporter from the “Yerkir Media” TV Company based in Yerevan. The reporter was eventually released after a number of complaints.
very sad.
A national tragedy! It is a shame that the relatives and friends of the victims have to resort to these means in order to find out what happended.More support and proper explanation should have been forthcoming from the Iranian authorities.My sincere and heartfelt sympathies for all concerened.