Ukrainian Boeing plane crashes in Iran, 176 people dead

The tail of the plane that crashed in Iran. IRNA (the Islamic Republic News Agency)

Photos from the scene of the crash, located just outside the Iranian capital Tehran, show mangled metal and loose debris from the plane wreck.

The plane caught fire after it crashed earlier on Wednesday morning, preventing emergency personnel from accessing it immediately.

Most of the flames appear to be out now, revealing the extent of the damage. The entire tail section of the aircraft has broken off, and structures from the plane look burned.

The crash killed 176 people, including passengers and crew.

Iranian and Ukrainian officials are now working together to respond to the disaster.

"We are working to establish the causes of the tragedy, the Ukrainian consul is working on site, an operational crisis group has been created. We are currently clarifying the number of Ukrainian citizens on board," said Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk in a statement.