Iran state TV says Ukrainian airplane crashes near Tehran

Iranian state TV is reporting a Ukrainian airplane carrying at least 170 people has crashed near an airport in the capital, Tehran. There is no immediate word on casualties.

The state TV report says the Wednesday morning crash of the Ukrainian 737-800 is suspected to have been caused by mechanical issues.

A civil aviation spokesman says an investigation team was at the site of the crash on the southwestern outskirts of Tehran.

The Boeing 737-800 is a very common jetliner used for short to medium-range flights, according to the Associated Press. It is an older model than the Boeing 737 MAX, which has been grounded for nearly 10 months following two deadly crashes.

The crash came hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces in retaliation for the killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

After the missile strikes, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it was barring U.S. pilots and carriers from flying in areas of Iraqi, Iranian and some Persian Gulf airspace.

The agency warned of the “potential for miscalculation or misidentification" for civilian aircraft amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.