Iran to pay $150,000 to Ukraine plane crash victims' families

• Each victim's family to be paid $150,000
• Compensation amount to be dispersed by ministry of roads and urban development 

Iran's cabinet on Wednesday agreed to allocate $150,000 to each family and survivors of the 176 victims of the Ukrainian plane downed in Iranian airspace on January 8 this year.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they accidentally shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane shortly after take off, mistaking it for a missile when tensions with the United States were high. The incident occurred five days after the US killed Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani with a drone strike in Iraq.

Iranian media reported Wednesday that the ministry of roads and urban development has been tasked to pay the compensation amount to the families in cooperation with other national sectors.

"Iranian government will pay the money to the families of the plane crash victims without considering their race and nationalities in compliance with international norms," wrote IRNA. 

In October, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs Mohsen Baharvand has said the country was ready to accelerate talks with Ukraine and punish those found guilty.

Baharvand told IRNA that there is no ambiguity in their punishment and Iran is serious to do it.