Ukraine Denies Iran’s Allegations and Accuses Tehran of Direct Support to Russian War Effort
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has denied Iran’s accusation of an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel, instead accusing Iran of being a direct partner in Russia’s war campaign. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Ukraine attacked its commercial ship, resulting in the death of a sailor, labeling the incident a violation of the United Nations Charter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged his forces carried out a long-range strike targeting Russian assets involved in transporting Iranian military equipment. – Kyiv, 12 Shrawan (RAS SANI).
Foreign Minister Sybiha rejected Tehran’s claims that a Ukrainian attack impacted its commercial ship, asserting that Iran has no grounds to claim victimhood. Through a statement on the social media platform X, Sybiha alleged that since 2022, Iran has been supplying weapons used by Russia against Ukrainian civilians. He described Tehran’s accusations as baseless and condemned Iran’s ongoing support for Russia’s military aggression.
Sybiha also accused Iran of attempting to divert international attention from Russia’s assaults on civilian vessels in the Black Sea region. He stated that Russia’s attacks on navigation freedom would be a key issue at an upcoming emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, where a strong response from the international community is anticipated. His remarks followed allegations from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that Ukraine’s attack killed an Iranian sailor onboard a commercial vessel.
Araghchi claimed the incident constituted a clear violation of the UN Charter and accused Ukraine of acting under Israel’s instruction. Iran formally protested by summoning Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Manouchehr Moradi described the attack on the Iranian commercial ship as hostile and criminal, stating it violated the UN Charter and endangered coastal states’ security. He held Ukraine responsible for the incident and called for accountability for those responsible.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also warned that any aggression against its citizens’ lives, property, and national interests would be met with an appropriate response. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently confirmed long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russian military targets, including those linked to Iran in the Caspian Sea. He claimed these strikes also targeted ships involved in transporting Iranian military equipment. Zelensky further alleged that Russia provided satellite images of U.S. military bases and other infrastructure in the Gulf region to Iran, information he said was evidently used by Tehran to prepare attacks and assess subsequent damage.
