Iranian officials, after days of denials, admitted Jan. 11, 2020, that Tehran was responsible for mistakenly downing a Ukrainian airliner early on Jan. 8. The shootdown came hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general. Iran’s admission sparked anti-government protests in Tehran. Demonstrators gathered at two universities, where some called for the resignation of their country's leaders.
Scenes of Mourning, Anger in Wake of Ukraine Plane Crash
- By VOA News
![Candles sit in front of a picture of a victim at a vigil for those killed in the Ukraine plane crash, at the gate of Amrikabir University, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 11, 2020.](https://gdb.voanews.com/8cee0673-bc96-4cb0-8eb7-34bfd271e3a3_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Candles sit in front of a picture of a victim at a vigil for those killed in the Ukraine plane crash, at the gate of Amrikabir University, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 11, 2020.
![People gather for a vigil to remember victims of the Ukraine plane crash, at the gate of Amrikabir University in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 11, 2020.](https://gdb.voanews.com/1c30d242-0523-430a-83ef-b964076a4bbe_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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People gather for a vigil to remember victims of the Ukraine plane crash, at the gate of Amrikabir University in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 11, 2020.
![The collection of flowers and candles in front of portraits of the flight crew of the Ukrainian 737-800 plane that crashed on the outskirts of Tehran continues to grow at the Boryspil airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan.11, 2020.](https://gdb.voanews.com/8219ce50-fdef-436a-abb4-3fccdf86f86f_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The collection of flowers and candles in front of portraits of the flight crew of the Ukrainian 737-800 plane that crashed on the outskirts of Tehran continues to grow at the Boryspil airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan.11, 2020.
![People take part in a vigil held by the Anglo-Iranian Communities in the UK and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Whitehall, London, Jan. 10, 2020, for the passengers of the Ukrainian 737-800 plane crash in Iran.](https://gdb.voanews.com/7ac38dda-055f-463a-b4d8-ad3b55a7a56a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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People take part in a vigil held by the Anglo-Iranian Communities in the UK and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Whitehall, London, Jan. 10, 2020, for the passengers of the Ukrainian 737-800 plane crash in Iran.