Tehran, Jan 10, IRNA – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said Iran has started to probe into the cause of the Ukrainian plane crash according to the international standards and International Civil Aviation Organization’s regulations.

Mousavi made the remarks in reaction to suspicious propaganda ballyhoo being promoted by Western sources.

He said that Ukraine as owner of the plane and the Boeing Company as its manufacturer have been invited to participate in investigations.

Expressing condolences to families of the victims, he said the Islamic Republic of Iran has welcomed presence of the experts from countries whose citizens have been killed in the accident.

Iran has also urged the Canadian Prime Minister or any other involved government to contribute its own probe committee into investigations.

The plane belonging to Ukrainian airlines crashed near Tehran minutes after the take-off from Imam Khomeini Airport after its engine caught fire. All the 167 passengers and nine crew members were killed in the crash.

Some 40 rescue teams have been dispatched to the site of the crash and investigation is underway, deputy head of Iran Red Crescent Society Ebrahim Tajik said, on Wednesday.

Managing Director of Tehran Governor's Office in charge of Crisis Management Mansour Darajati told IRNA that some 140 passengers were Iranian.

Rescue teams have accomplished operation to retrieve dead bodies, he added.

The dead bodies are not in good condition, he noted.

In the meantime, Head of Iran Emergency Pir Hossein Koulivand said some 147 Iranians and 32 foreign passengers were killed.

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