Toronto (Canada) (AFP)

Canada and the countries whose nationals died in the crash of a Ukrainian Boeing shot down by Iran a year ago, on Friday called on Tehran to "bring justice to the families of the victims" as tributes were organized in several country.

In Canada, nearly 200 people gathered under a sunny sky Friday afternoon in front of the University of Toronto before carrying out a march in tribute to the victims, according to an AFP photographer on the spot.

Many people carried signs on which were printed photos of victims of the crash as well as their first names.

Some wore black masks bearing the word "Justice".

Among them, Hamid Niazi, who lost his wife, daughter and son in this tragedy.

"I don't know how to explain this, I'm still in denial and disbelief, I can't believe this happened to my family," he told AFP.

"I sometimes think I'm having a nightmare, that it couldn't have happened."

In Kiev, the destination that the aircraft was to reach, wreaths of flowers were placed on the site of a future memorial dedicated to the victims.

A giant screen displayed all the portraits of the passengers and crew members of the aircraft.

"We urge Iran to provide a full and thorough explanation of the events and decisions that led to this appalling plane crash," said in a joint statement the "coordination group" made up of Canada, the United Kingdom. United, Ukraine, Sweden and Afghanistan.

All "will ask Iran to do justice to the families of the victims and to the affected countries and to ensure that they obtain full reparation", they say one year to the day after the tragedy.

- "Unthinkable tragedy" -

At the end of December, Iran announced its intention to pay "$ 150,000 or the equivalent in euros" to each of the families of the victims of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS 752, which crashed on January 8, 2020, killing them. 176 people on board, including 85 Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

On Thursday, Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne rejected this offer, believing that "the issue of compensation would not be settled by unilateral declarations by Iran but should rather be the subject of negotiations between states" .

"This kind of unthinkable tragedy must never happen again," said Justin Trudeau during a press briefing, specifying that 138 passengers were on their way to Canada.

After three days of denial, the Iranian armed forces admitted having shot down the plane by "mistake", in the midst of rising tensions between Washington and Iran.

In mid-December, the government's special adviser on the tragedy, former minister Ralph Goodale, issued a 70-page report arguing that Iran should not be allowed to "investigate itself".

He also noted the many gray areas in this file.

Following this disaster, the Canadian government decided to make January 8 the "National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Air Disasters".

© 2021 AFP