"Armenia regrets that the statement by the Iranian foreign ministry was made before a special commission...investigating the reasons for the crash makes its final conclusions," said Armenian presidential spokesman Levon Zurabyan.
Zurabyan did not directly reject the accusation.
Iran's official news agency IRNA, quoting a Foreign Ministry statement, said on Tuesday the military Hercules C-130 cargo plane was shot down by a missile fired by Armenians in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh shortly after the plane had contacted Yerevan control tower.
All 32 people on board, including relatives of Iranian diplomats based in Moscow, were killed.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.