Iran has accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, resulting in an explosion that left one crew member dead and another injured.
Following the incident, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to deliver a formal protest over what state news agency IRNA reported as a criminal and hostile action.
The ministry stated that the strike had been acknowledged by Ukraine’s leadership, calling it proof of Kyiv’s persistent irrational and hostile approach toward Tehran. It cautioned that Iran reserves the right to defend its national interests.
Furthermore, Iranian officials labeled the strike a breach of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, warning that the move risks broadening and intensifying the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In a separate statement, the office of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed he held a phone discussion regarding the event with Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
During the conversation, Araghchi denounced the military strike and called for a firm response from the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, and the international community, and for the perpetrators and supporters of this criminal act to be held accountable.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi noted that the Iranians are not really happy with the attack, while they’re also dealing with a US blockade on the southern coast. He added that targeting Iran’s northern waters is putting extra pressure on the nation’s commercial maritime routes.
Throughout its statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry maintained its position that Tehran has never intervened in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed long-range operations in a post on X, stating that Kyiv had achieved very strong results in the Caspian Sea by targeting vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship. He did not explicitly name the commercial vessel cited by Iranian authorities.
Zelenskyy also made additional allegations against Moscow, claiming Russia has been sharing satellite images of US military installations and Gulf states with Iran, specifically noting intelligence gathering on July 19 and 20 over airbases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
Relations between Kyiv and Tehran have remained severely strained since 2022, when Iran began supplying Russia with Shahed drones that have been widely deployed against Ukrainian targets. Kyiv reports having downed over 44,000 of these Iranian-designed drones since the full-scale Russian invasion began.
In response to regional hostilities, Ukraine has dispatched anti-drone teams and offered its interceptor technology to several Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
