Iran envoy to UK 'confident' plane not hit by missile

The Iranian ambassador to the United Kingdom told British broadcaster Sky News on Friday that he was "very clear and confident" that Iran had not downed a Ukrainain passenger plane on Wednesday.

Hamid Baeidinejad told the broadcaster that no missile was launched in that area at that time.

Western leaders have said the plane appeared to have been unintentionally hit by a surface-to-air missile near Tehran, just hours after Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq to avenge the killing of its top general in an American airstrike last week.

Iran has denied the allegations and has called on the US and Canada to share any information they have on the crash.