Iran warns Ukraine over Caspian strike that killed sailor
Iran said a Ukrainian strike on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea killed one sailor and drew threats of retaliation.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Iran warns Ukraine it may respond after Tehran said a Ukrainian strike hit an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, killing one sailor and injuring several crew members. The warning raises the risk that the Russia-Ukraine war could draw in another flashpoint involving Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday on social media that the attack “cannot go unanswered” and called it a breach of the United Nations Charter. He said he made the point in calls with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Saturday strike caused the commercial vessel to explode. Tehran said it summoned Ukraine’s charge d’affaires in Tehran to protest what it described as a hostile and criminal act.
Why did Iran warn Ukraine?
Iran says Ukraine struck an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea, killing a sailor. Ukraine says its long-range strikes targeted a Russian warship and vessels used to carry military cargo linked to Iran.
Araghchi also accused Israel of encouraging the attack in an attempt to pull Europe into its war, according to his social media post. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Iran has not taken part in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine has accused Tehran since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 of helping Moscow attack Ukrainian cities by supplying thousands of Shahed drones. Kyiv has also expressed support for Middle Eastern countries targeted by Tehran after the US-Israel war on Iran and sent Ukrainian military personnel to Gulf states to help intercept Shahed drones.
What did Ukraine say about the Caspian Sea strikes?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that Ukraine had achieved strong results from long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea. He said the targets included vessels involved in military cargo shipments connected to Iran, as well as a warship.
Zelenskyy also accused Russia of aiding Iran militarily. He said Ukraine had recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of Gulf states and US military facilities there since early July, and claimed those images later appeared in Iran.
A senior Iranian lawmaker added to Tehran’s warning early Monday. Ebrahim Azizi, who heads parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote on X that any attack on Iran carries a cost and said Ukraine may learn that Iran does not leave such actions unanswered.
How did Russia respond?
Lavrov offered condolences over the sailor’s death, according to a statement posted by Russia’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry said Araghchi thanked authorities in Russia’s Astrakhan region, where the vessel had begun its journey, for helping the crew.
The Russian statement said Araghchi also stressed the need to end what it called actions by the Kyiv government. It added that Araghchi briefed Lavrov on diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tension in the Middle East.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.