Iran snubs another deadline in PS752 crash

Iran has snubbed yet another deadline set by Canada and its allies to negotiate a settlement for the families of those killed when its military shot down a passenger jet two years ago.

And that comes as no surprise to the spokesman for families and loved ones of the 176 people killed on Jan. 8, 2020, when Iran's Revolutionary Guard shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.

All 176 people on board died, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents, along with nationals of Britain, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Sweden.

The coalition of countries, which calls itself the International Co-ordination and Response Group, had last month given Iran a deadline of Wednesday to come to the bargaining table and negotiate compensation for the victims' loved ones.

But there was no response from Iran, part of a pattern that has seen the coalition of countries and international aviation authorities repeatedly stonewalled on investigating the shootdown and holding the perpetrators to account.

Hamed Esmaeilion, whose wife and nine-year-old daughter died in the tragedy, called on Canada and its allies to refer the matter to the International Civil Aviation Organization for more aggressive action toward Iran.