Aragchi: Ukrainian attack on Iranian vessel 'cannot go unanswered'

On July 27, 2026, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Ukraine of launching an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, calling the incident “cannot remain without response” and stating it violated the United Nations Charter. According to reports from RTV Slovenia and other media, one sailor was killed and another injured during the attack. The Iranian government claimed the vessel had been carrying military cargo linked to Iran, though Ukrainian authorities stated they had targeted a Russian warship and vessels transporting military supplies connected to Iran. The attack occurred in the Caspian Sea, near the border between Russia and Iran. Ukrainian officials confirmed their involvement, asserting that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the flow of military equipment to Russian forces. They described the strike as a successful operation against “ships used for transporting military cargo linked to Iran,” as well as a Russian naval vessel. In contrast, Iran denied any role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that Tehran “has never intervened in the dispute between Russia and Ukraine.” This claim was echoed by Al Jazeera, which cited statements from Iranian officials. In response to the incident, Araghchi called for diplomatic action, claiming the attack was carried out “on Israel’s orders” and warned that it could draw Europe into the war. He reportedly spoke over the phone with European Union External Action Service chief Kaja Kallen and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov before posting his remarks on social media platform X. The Iranian foreign ministry later issued a statement condemning the attack as “repugnant and criminal,” and summoned the temporary head of Ukraine’s embassy in Tehran to protest the incident. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the parliamentary commission on national security and foreign policy, expressed concern over the potential consequences of the attack. On X, he warned that Ukraine might face retaliatory measures and noted that “every attack on Iran has its cost, and this is no exception today.” He added that both the U.S. and Israel were aware of the implications, suggesting that such actions would eventually lead to a reckoning for Ukraine. Azizi labeled the attack a result of “wrong assessments.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the operation on X, stating that the remote strikes in the Caspian Sea had achieved “very good results” against enemy ships. He specifically mentioned targeting vessels associated with Iran and a Russian warship. Zelenskyy also accused Russia of providing military support to Iran, citing intelligence gathered since early July indicating that Moscow uses satellites to monitor conditions in Gulf states and American military installations there. These images, according to Zelenskyy, have been shared with Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov responded to Araghchi’s comments, expressing condolences for the death of the sailor and acknowledging the assistance provided by local authorities in Astrakhan, where the ship began its journey. Lavrov emphasized that such incidents must end, describing them as “adventures of Kyiv’s regime.” The Russian ministry also noted that Araghchi had informed Lavrov of continued diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East.