Iran announced on Saturday morning that its armed forces had "unintentionally" shot down a Ukrainian airliner as a result of a “human error.” 176 people were killed in the crash. Earlier Tehran denied that it was responsible for the tragedy. The Iranian army's published announcement states that the Ukrainian plane was close to the “important military facility” of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and was mistaken for the enemy.

The communication underlines that Iran's armed forces were "at the highest level of readiness" due to tension in relations with the United States. “Under these conditions, because of human error, in an unintentional way, the plane was hit,” the announcement stated. The communication expressed regrets for the tragedy and the assurance that the relevant systems would be modified to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demanded transparency so that full and thorough investigation could be carried out and the guilty found. In turn, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski demands the punishment of guilty parties and payment of compensation from Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in a tweet that it was because of “American adventurism,” that a catastrophe with a Ukrainian passenger plane happened. He expressed deep regrets, apologies, and condolences to the families of the victims.

(PAP)