A vigil has been held after a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down.

All 176 people onboard the airliner were killed when it came down shortly after taking off from Tehran on Wednesday, January 8.

Iran has admitted that missiles were fired at the airliner in “human error” when it turned towards a military centre belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

President Hassan Rouhani said the crash was an “unforgivable mistake”.

Victims included dozens of Iranians and nationals from Ukraine, Canada, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany.

On Friday, January 10 Anglo-Iranian Communities in the UK, including Barnet, and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a vigil outside Downing Street to remember the victims.

Times Series:

The Anglo-Iranian Communities in the UK and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran holding a vigil

NCRI president Maryam Rajavi had also declared Friday as a day of mourning following the crash.

Mohamad Sulimani, an Anglo-Iranian artist and human rights activist from Edgware, was at the vigil.

He said: “We join the Iranian Resistance Leader Mrs. Rajavi, in offering our condolences to the families of the passengers of the Ukrainian airliner shot down by the Iranian regime’s missiles.

Times Series:

The Anglo-Iranian Communities in the UK and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran holding a vigil

“There must be an independent international investigation, as suggested by the Foreign Secretary because the regime in Iran cannot be trusted.

“The aim of any such investigation must be to hold the regime’s officials accountable for this tragedy.”

Hossein Abedini of the NCRI added: "Whereas the regime has falsely claimed that the aircraft crashed due to a technical failure, it is now abundantly clear that the plane had no mechanical problems.

“The clerical regime cannot and should not be allowed to escape responsibility for this fiasco and must be held accountable for this painful tragedy.

“Mrs. Rajavi, offered her condolences to the families of the passengers of the Ukrainian airliner shot down by the Iranian regime’s missiles, and called for a day of mourning on Friday."