Published on 11:02 AM, January 11, 2020

Downing of Ukraine jet unforgivable mistake: Iran's Rouhani

General view of the debris of the Ukraine International Airlines, flight PS752, Boeing 737-800 plane that crashed after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport, on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran January 8, 2020 is seen in this screen grab obtained from a social media video via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Reuters, Dubai

Iran "deeply regrets" the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner earlier this week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a tweet today.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake," he wrote on Twitter. "My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer my sincerest condolences."

The investigation will continue, Rouhani wrote in a separate tweet.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet that the Ukrainian plane crash earlier this week was caused by human error and "U.S. adventurism."

"A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by U.S. adventurism led to disaster," Zarif wrote on Twitter. "Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations."

All 176 people aboard the airliner were killed in the crash shortly after takeoff.

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