US gives Ukraine 'important data' on Iran plane crash

US officials have given Kiev "important data" about crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vym Prystaiko said on Friday.

All 176 people on board died when Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 went down near Tehran on Wednesday, shortly after Iran launched missiles at US forces in Iraq in response to killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Baghd.

American, British and Canian officials say intelligence sources indicate that Iran shot down plane, perhaps unintentionally, but this has been denied by Tehran.

"President Volodymyr Zelensky and I met with US representatives," Prystaiko said on Twitter. "We have received important data which will be processed by our experts." Zelensky was due to speak to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about crash at 3 pm (1300 GMT), minister ded.

" version of a missile is t ruled out, but it has t yet been confirmed," Zelensky said on his Facebook p.

He asked for Ukraine to be given all information needed to conduct a thorough investigation.

"Our goal is to establish undeniable truth," he said. " value of human life is above all political motives."

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council, said Thursday that investigators were pursuing several les, including a strike with a surface-to-air missile such as a Russian-me Tor, a collision with a drone, engine failure or a terror attack.

Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee, which investigates aircraft incidents, said Friday that it was rey to assist in probe but that Iran h t asked Moscow for help.

(im credit: AP)