Iran Condoles with Malaysia over Tragic Plane Crash

(FNA)- The Iranian Foreign Ministry in a message on Friday offered its condolences to the people and government of Malaysia over the death of the country's nationals in a recent plane crash.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham voiced Tehran's condolence with the Malaysian people and government over the death of a group of Malaysians in a passenger plane which crashed in the along Russia-Ukraine border on Thursday.

In her statement, Afkham also expressed condolences and sympathy with the bereaved families of the victims, and prayed to God for the peace of soul of those killed in the tragic incident.

A Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing-777 with over 290 people on board crashed in Ukraine, close to the border with Russia.

Malaysia Airlines lost contact with the plane when it was flying over Ukrainian soil, RT reported.

The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Geraschenko confirmed the plane carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew members fell.

The passenger plane was expected to enter Russian airspace at 5:20 p.m. local time on Thursday, but never did.

Residents reported finding debris from a plane, which they said could belong to the Malaysian Boeing. They said that several dozen dead passengers have been found.

Groups that are fighting Kiev’s forces in Eastern Ukraine have rejected any involvement in the incident, as there are reports that the plane was shot down.

The Donetsk People’s Republic claims its self-defense forces simply don’t have such military equipment. Donetsk People's Republic PM Aleksandr Boroday has called the incident a “provocation by the Ukrainian military".

“We confirm that the plane crashed not far from Donetsk,” Boroday said. “Representatives of Donetsk People's Republic have headed to the scene of the plane search."

"Self-defense forces have no air-defense, which could target transport aircraft at that height,” he said.

“We have only MANPADs (portable anti-aircraft missile complex) which hit targets at 3-4 kilometers,” Sergey Kavtaradze, representative for Donetsk People’s Republic PM, also told journalists.

Russia’s military also says none of its military planes have been flying close to the Russia-Ukraine border on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported citing a military official.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has not ruled out that a Malaysian plane has been shot down.