FOREWORD

June 2021

On January 8, 2020, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after it took off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran.

In the fall of 2020, significant questions remained surrounding the circumstances and causes of the tragedy. In October 2020, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the formation of a Canadian Forensic Examination and Assessment Team (Forensic Team), on the recommendation of the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Special Advisor for the Government of Canada’s (GoC) ongoing response to the downing of Flight PS752. This initiative was part of the GoC’s commitment to hold Iran to account and seek justice for the victims, their families and their loved ones.

The Forensic Team consists of public servants from several federal departments and agencies with relevant knowledge and skill sets, including those with expertise on military equipment and operations. The team was tasked with analyzing every available piece of information, evidence, and intelligence on the Flight PS752 disaster to advise the GoC on its credibility and probative value. The development of this factual analysis and the findings in this report draw upon an extensive body of information collected by the GoC and our allied partners, including classified information.

This report also contains the results of some excellent investigative journalism, significant contributions from academic publications, as well as contributions from Iranian citizens who posted images, videos and other relevant material to social media sites. Endnotes have been included attributing these contributions to the original authors wherever possible and as appropriate. Finally, it references official Iranian reports on the downing of Flight PS752 including a thorough analysis of Iran’s Final Report issued on March 15, 2021. Nothing in Iran’s official reports was taken at face value.

The Forensic Team also benefitted from discussions with and material provided by several family members of the victims of Flight PS752. Without all of these contributions, we would have been unable to shed light on the facts as we know them. It is my hope that our work will help the families in some little way on their difficult journey to reconciling their unimaginable grief.

The lives lost and potential never met of the 55 Canadians, 30 permanent residents and the other passengers and crew of Flight PS752, 176 victims in total, should never be forgotten.

I want to emphasize that only Iran has full access to the evidence, the crash site, witnesses, and those ultimately responsible. It therefore remains incumbent upon Iran to provide a full and credible accounting of

JEFF YAWORSKI

the events so that the families and loved ones of the victims may finally know the truth about what happened to Flight PS752. Iran must also provide assurances to the international community that this tragic event will never happen again.

I want to express my gratitude to Vincent Rigby, National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister, and the Honourable Ralph Goodale for their direction and guidance. I also want to include my special thanks and appreciation for the hard work and dedication of Steven Shragge, Meaghan Campbell, Beth Champoux, Richard Davidson, Rana Abi-Nader, and the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat of the Privy Council Office.

Jeff Yaworski

Head, Forensic Examination and Assessment Team Ottawa, ON