'Unforgivable mistake': Iran on Ukrainian jetliner crash

The plane was shot down early on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad.

Tehran:Iran announced on Saturday that the military “unintentionally” shot down the Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard, after the government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tweeted that Iran "deeply regrets this disastrous mistake" and said those responsible would be prosecuted.

"Armed Forces' internal investigation has concluded that regrettably, missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukranian plane & death of 176 innocent people," he wrote.

The plane was shot down early on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad.

No one was wounded in the attack on the bases.

A military statement carried by state media said the plane was mistaken for a “hostile target” after it turned toward a “sensitive military center” of the Revolutionary Guard, adding that the flight was hit unintentionally.