A day after Iran admitted one of its 18 ballistic missiles hit an Ukrainian airliner, killing all its 176 passengers and crew, the Ukrainian as well as the Canadian government want the Tehran government to take full responsibility. Canada lost 73 of its citizens after Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crashed Wednesday after takeoff from Tehran’s airport. The crash came hours after Iran fired missiles at Iraqi military bases housing US troops in retaliation for a drone strike at Baghdad airport that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

US President Donald Trump did not retaliate and instead renewed his call for Iran to sit down and talk peace. That gesture significantly lessened tensions between the two countries, although Iran continues to say that it is still on war footing and is still desirous to avenge the death of Soleimani.

Recent reports now show that the US had prior intelligence given to it by the Iraqi government which acted as an informal mediator between Tehran and Washington. It was Iraq which alerted US troops in Al-Asad air base several hours before Iran unleashed 18 ballistic missiles which destroyed the base without killing one American paratrooper. US forces hid in bunkers during the missile attack.

Unfortunately, no such privilege was given to the civilians on board the airliner which took off several minutes while ballistic missiles were being fired from an Iranian military base near the airport. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani blamed human error as the military thought that the airplane was an enemy when it drew close to where the ballistic missiles were being fired.

As of presstime, Iranian authorities are coordinating and talking closely with governments of affected civilians killed.