Canada, Ukraine, the UK, Sweden and Afghanistan have called in a joint statement demanding a "thorough, independent and transparent international investigation open to grieving nations", into the plane crash in Iran. The countries have stated that they welcome Iran's engagement and support their continued cooperation.
"Families want answers, the international community wants answers, the world is waiting for answers and we will not rest until we get them", Canada's foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said at a meeting in London.
Canada and other involved states have also demanded that Iran accept responsibility for the downing of the Ukrainian Boeing.
The International Coordination and Response Group was created on the initiative of the Canadian government and met for the first time in Canada House in London on 16 January.
The leaders of Canada and Afghanistan earlier discussed the whole situation in the region, pointing out the importance of the de-escalation of tensions and maintaining dialogue. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan also stressed the need for a thorough, credible and transparent investigation into the crash.
Last week, the Iranian military admitted to unintentionally shooting down the plane, having confused it with a hostile cruise missile in anticipation of a strike from the United States.
