STRETCHING THE TRUTH

Iran’s Top Diplomat Admits Iranians ‘Were Lied to’ After Plane Shootdown

It’s the first time an Iranian official has referred to Iran’s initial explanation for the crash as a lie.

Iran’s most senior diplomat has conceded that Iranians “were lied to” for days following the Islamic Republic’s accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian jetliner last week, which left 176 people dead. Iran initially claimed a technical malfunction caused the plane to crash, before admitting three days later that it was actually brought down by missiles. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s admission, which came at a summit in New Delhi on Wednesday, is the first time an Iranian official has referred to those initial claims from Tehran as a lie. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets last weekend to protest the shootdown and the government’s attempts to shield the truth about it. Meanwhile, Iran’s president threatened European soldiers in the Middle East, saying they “could be in danger” after Britain, France, and Germany formally challenged Tehran over breaking the limits of its nuclear deal. “Today, the American soldier is in danger, tomorrow the European soldier could be in danger,” said President Hassan Rouhani.