Iran and Russia have jointly condemned what Tehran described as a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, deepening diplomatic tensions after the incident reportedly killed a sailor and injured three others.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the incident during a telephone conversation on Sunday. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, both ministers denounced the alleged strike and described it as a violation of international law.
Iran says attack breached UN Charter
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Araghchi characterised the attack as a “dangerous adventurism and clear violation of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.” He said Iran would defend its national security and national interests.
Lavrov, according to the same statement, condemned the alleged strike as an action that violated international law and threatened trade routes linking Russia and Iran.
Araghchi says strike ‘cannot go unanswered’
Separately, Araghchi said the incident “cannot go unanswered.”
In a post on X, he accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of ordering an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel and alleged it was carried out “at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.”
He said he had conveyed Iran’s position during separate conversations with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Lavrov.
“I made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED,” Araghchi wrote.
Iran lodges protest with Ukraine
Iran has summoned Ukraine’s acting charge d’affaires in Tehran and handed over a formal note of protest over what it called a “hostile and criminal” act.
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for Eurasia Manouchehr Moradi told the Ukrainian diplomat that the attack violated the UN Charter, amounted to aggression and threatened the security of Caspian Sea littoral states. He said those responsible should be held accountable.
The ministry also said Iran would firmly defend its national security and would not leave attacks on the lives and property of its citizens unanswered.
One sailor killed, three injured
Iranian authorities said the attack occurred at about 3 am local time on Saturday. The vessel reportedly exploded during the incident.
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, one sailor was killed. The semi-official Mehr news agency later reported that three others were injured.
Citing Gilan Governor Hadi Haghshenas, Iranian media reported that the steel-laden vessel was travelling from Russia’s Astrakhan Port to Iran’s Anzali Port when it was struck. Haghshenas said the ship’s bridge had been destroyed, leaving it unable to continue its voyage, and that legal proceedings would follow.
Ukraine says it struck military-linked targets
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had carried out long-range strikes against military-related targets in Russia, including a Russian warship and vessels used to transport Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
Iran and Russia have both cited those remarks while condemning the alleged attack.