Iran Accuses Ukraine of Attacking Vessel in Caspian Sea
Iran's Allegations Against Ukraine
Iran has leveled accusations against Ukraine, claiming that one of its commercial ships in the Caspian Sea was attacked, resulting in the death of one sailor and injuries to another. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that this incident "cannot go unanswered." Although Iran reported an explosion on the vessel, it did not disclose the timing or specifics regarding the ship or its location.
Araghchi mentioned that he discussed the matter in phone calls with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, and Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister. He attributed the attack to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but did not provide any supporting evidence for his claims. In a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, condolences were expressed for the deceased sailor, and Araghchi acknowledged the assistance provided by authorities in Russia's Astrakhan region, where the vessel had set sail.
Furthermore, Araghchi informed Lavrov about ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the alleged Ukrainian attack, labeling it a "hostile and criminal" act. According to IRNA, Iran's state news agency, Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran was summoned to receive a formal protest from Iran. Tehran asserted its commitment to defending national interests and security, accusing Kyiv of trying to escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine.
Ukraine has yet to respond publicly to these latest allegations from Iran. Throughout the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has been defending itself against Iranian-designed drones utilized by Russia and has offered its expertise in drone interception to Middle Eastern nations facing Iranian attacks. These accusations from Iran coincided with President Zelenskyy's remarks about Russia allegedly sharing satellite imagery with Iran to aid in planning regional strikes. In a post on X, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine had observed "active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military installations there" since early July. He stated, "These images subsequently appear in Iran," and highlighted a clear link between Russian satellite imagery and Iranian strikes, both in preparation and assessment phases.
Zelenskyy also mentioned that on July 19 and 20, Russian satellite surveillance included four air bases located in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. He previously claimed that Ukrainian forces had targeted a Russian warship and other vessels allegedly involved in transporting Iranian military cargo in the Caspian Sea.