Six months after downing an airliner, Iran says that it has sent the aircraft's black box to France on Friday July 17.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Baharvand told Etemad newspaper in Tehran on Saturday July 18 that French technicians are going to read the content of the black box on Monday.

The Iranian revolutionary Guards IRGC downed a Ukrainian airliner in January, killing all the 176 passengers and crew members on board.

During the past months Iran had refused to hand over the black box although its technicians were not able to access its content.

Under pressure by the family members of the passengers as well as officials in Ukraine, Canada and several other countries, Iran finally handed over the black box although it had claimed earlier that the equipment was damaged.

The claim was made although the videos broadcast earlier showed that the equipment was intact.

Iran has still not accused anyone for the downing but has acknowledge that the aircraft was downed due to human error on the part of IRGC operators who fired at least two missile and downed the aircraft.

Other countries involved in the case have demanded compensation from the Iranian government.

Passengers and crew members from Ukraine, Iran, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan and Canada were on board the downed aircraft.