Report: Video Shows Missile Hit Ukrainian Plane

Video shows that it was a missile, not mechanical failure, that brought down Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 near Tehran on Wednesday, according to the New York Times. The video shows what is believed to be the moment an Iranian anti-aircraft missile hit the passenger plane. The video shows that there was an explosion when the missile hit the Boeing 737-800 but it did not crash immediately. The Times says it has verified other videos that show the plane kept flying for several minutes before turning back to the airport and crashing. All 176 people on board were killed. President Trump said Thursday that he had "suspicions" about the crash, which happened hours after Iran fired missiles at bases housing US troops in Iraq. More:

• Denial from Iran. On Friday, Iran denied Western allegations that the plane had been hit by an SA-15 surface-to-air missile, possibly fired in error, the AP reports. “What is obvious for us, and what we can say with certainty, is that no missile hit the plane," said Ali Abedzadeh, head of Iran's national aviation department. He said that if countries including the US and Canada have evidence it was shot down, "they should come and show their findings to the world." He said the video shared by the Times and other outlets "cannot be confirmed."
• Black boxes. Iran said Friday that it will download the data from the flight records itself and consult experts in other countries if help is needed, Reuters reports. Authorities said the investigation could take one to two years.
• Proof of mechanical issues? An Iranian official told the BBC Friday that there is documentation showing the plane had mechanical problems. The official claimed that Ukrainian Airlines officials had overruled objections and allowed the plane to fly.

• Trudeau demands answers. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that there was good reason to believe the plane had been hit by a missile. "The families of the victims and all Canadians want answers. I want answers," Trudeau said. "That means closure, transparency, accountability and justice. And this government will not rest until we get that." There were 63 Canadian citizens on the plane and a total of 138 people on board had connecting flights to Canada.
• A plea from Ukraine. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Western governments Thursday to share intelligence with him, the Washington Post reports. There were 11 Ukrainians on Flight 752, including the crew, and the country has sent dozens of search and rescue personnel and other experts to the site.
• Anger in Iran. Reuters reports that on social media, Iranians have expressed anger at authorities for allowing Tehran's airport to continue operating after a missile had been launched. Most of the passengers were Iranians, many of them with dual nationality.

(More Iran stories.)