Tehran

The Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 went down just minutes after taking off from Tehran's airport, leaving no survivors.

Under global aviation rules, Iran has the right to lead the investigation.

But manufacturers are typically involved and experts say few countries are capable of analysing black boxes.

The crash came at a time of high tensions between Iran and the US and just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two air bases housing US forces in Iraq. There is no evidence the two events are linked.

Licences will now only be granted to "relevant bodies and not individuals", military officials said.

The unmanned aerial devices have caused several security scares after approaching sensitive areas.

Drones have become increasingly popular in Tehran, but have angered locals who believe they infringe their privacy.

"These quadcopters are equipped with cameras and can fly over sensitive sites, film them and be exploited by the enemy," said deputy commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Ali Reza Rabi'i.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's statements underscored his lingering distrust of the United States and hostility toward Israel as the U.S. Congress prepares to vote on the landmark nuclear agreement reached with Tehran in July.

U.S. President Barack Obama appears to have secured enough support from Democrats to prevent the Republican-led Congress from derailing the deal, but Khamenei's latest remarks were likely to be seized upon by critics of the agreement as proof that Iran cannot be trusted.

Ashkan Dejagah put the home side ahead from the penalty spot after ten minutes, as Asia's top ranked team took a commanding 4-0 lead into half-time at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun bagged two goals each, with substitute Mehdi Torabi capping a clinical display with a final goal minutes from the end.

Defeat means the Mateo relinquish top spot in Group D to their next opponents, Oman, who beat Turkmenistan 3-1.

Tehran and world powers struck a deal last month on Iran's contested nuclear program, and on Sunday Britain and Iran reopened their respective embassies after a break of several years.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Monday, said the two countries shared common ground despite a "deep legacy of distrust."

Adel al-Jubeir spoke Monday after talks with EU's Federica Mogherini who was in the kingdom to assuage its concerns over the nuclear deal she helped broker.

Al-Jubeir says Saudi Arabia rejects Iran's words and actions — a veiled reference to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's statement that the deal won't sway his country's support for the Lebanese Hezbollah group, Syria's government and Shiites in Bahrain and Yemen.

The issue was raised on the sidelines of negotiations in Vienna earlier this month that led to the landmark deal on curbing Iran's nuclear program.

Abbas Araghchi told reporters in the Iranian capital on Wednesday that cases of "imprisoned citizens" were discussed with their American counterparts during the nuclear talks.

He says "humanitarian" reasons had motivated the discussion but did not elaborate.

There are no signs of people pouring into the streets of Tehran after the deal was announced on Tuesday — but that may have more to do with the stifling summer heat and the fact that most Iranians are fasting during the last days of Ramadan.

Many instead were glued to television coverage of the deal. At one Tehran electronics shop, people clapped as President Hassan Rouhani appeared on screen to address the nation.

The diplomats said at least two other issues still needed final agreement: Iranian demands that a U.N. arms embargo be lifted and that any U.N. Security Council resolution approving the nuclear deal no longer describe Iran's nuclear activities as illegal. 

They demanded anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the negotiations publicly.

After more than two weeks of intense and often combative talks that blew through three deadlines in Vienna and a weekend of deadlock, diplomats expressed optimism that a deal was at hand.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who on Thursday had threatened to walk away from the negotiations, note that "a few tough things" remain in the way of agreement but added: "We're getting to some real decisions."