The aerospace commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday a missile that was fired at a Ukrainian passenger jet exploded next to the plane before it went down. "It was a short-range missile that exploded next to the plane. That's why the plane was able" to continue flying for a while, Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said in remarks aired on state TV. "It exploded when it hit the ground." neg/dv/sw