Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has offered “profound regrets, apologies and condolences” for the unintentional downing of a Ukrainian aircraft over Tehran, saying “human error” during a “crisis” led to the accident.

“A sad day,” the FM wrote on Twitter, adding: “Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces:

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.

A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disasterOur profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.💔 — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 11, 2020

The incident took place soon after an Iranian missile attack on American positions in Iraq, which was launched as a reprisal for a US kill strike on Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force. It occurred after months of rising tensions between the two countries came to a head. All 176 passengers on board the airliner were killed in the crash.

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