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Iran Says It Unintentionally Shot Down Ukrainian Jet

VOA News

   Iran admitted Saturday that its military shot down a Ukrainian
   passenger jetearlier this week in the outskirts of Tehran, killing all
   176 people aboard.

   The downing of the Ukraine International Airlines flight happened just
   hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases
   housing U.S. soldiers in response to last week's U.S. drone attack that
   killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. No one was
   wounded in the attack on the bases.

   "A sad day," Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif posted
   Saturday on Twitter. "Human error at time of crisis caused by US
   adventurism led to disaster. Our profound regrets, apologies and
   condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other
   affected nations."

   State media carried the military statement. Itsaid the Ukrainian plane
   was mistaken for a "hostile target" after it turned toward a "sensitive
   military center" of the Revolutionary Guard. The military was at its
   "highest level of readiness," it said, amid the heightened tensions
   with the United States.

   "In such a condition, because of human error and in a unintentional
   way, the flight was hit," the statement said. It apologized for the
   disaster and said it would upgrade its systems to prevent future
   tragedies.

   It also said those responsible for the strike on the plane would be
   prosecuted.

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