Iran ADMITS shooting down Ukrainian plane that killed all 176 on board

Iranian state TV, citing a military statement, says the country 'unintentionally' shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard, after mistaking the aircraft for a hostile, enemy target.


The statement came Saturday morning, and blamed 'human error' for shooting down the plane on Tuesday.

Specifically, Iranian officials says the aircraft 'took the flying posture and altitude of an enemy target' as it neared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps base and attending personal didn't recognize it as a passenger plane.

'Under these circumstances, because of human error, [the plane] came under fire,' the statement read, according to the New York Times.


Following the grave mistake, Iran's government have offered an apology to families.

The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces.