Ukraine dismisses Iran’s retaliation threat after strike on cargo ship in Caspian Sea
Ukraine has rejected threats from Iran after Ukrainian forces targeted an Iranian-linked cargo ship in the Caspian Sea on Saturday.
The incident is seen as an important development because it marks the first direct link between the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha dismissed Iran’s threats and defended the country’s actions.
“Iran’s threats are unjustified and groundless,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X this afternoon.
“The regime in Tehran is a direct accomplice to Russian aggression against Ukraine, fuelling Moscow’s criminal war with weapons that have killed Ukrainians since 2022,” he wrote, referring to the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Zelensky Says Ukraine Carried Out Long-Range Strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had achieved what he described as “very good results” in long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea.
He said the strikes included attacks on vessels that were being used to transport military cargo linked to Iran.
The Security Service of Ukraine, known as the SBU, said Ukrainian drones had attacked an oil platform in the northern part of the Caspian Sea.
The SBU also said a Russian missile boat and “cargo ships that are under international sanctions” were hit.
The attack has increased tensions between Ukraine and Iran, which has close military ties with Russia.
Iran Says One Sailor Was Killed
Iran reacted angrily to the attack.
Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, told Iran’s state news agency that the ship, named “Anna”, was anchored about 5km (3 miles) from the mouth of the Volga River when it was attacked.
Iran said the attack killed one sailor and injured several other people.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also rejected claims that the ship was involved in military activities connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The ministry said Iran had “never intervened in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly criticised the Ukrainian attack.
He said the incident was “a blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.”
The Iranian foreign minister also warned that the incident would not be ignored.
The incident “CANNOT GO UNANSWERED,” he wrote on X.
Ukraine Says Ship Was Carrying Military Equipment
Ukraine has rejected Iran’s explanation of the ship’s activities.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, said the vessel was not carrying ordinary civilian goods.
Speaking to Israel’s N12, he claimed that the ship was carrying components for drones and missiles from Iran to Russia.
Korniychuk also said that Ukraine and Israel were facing the same “axis of evil” from different directions.
The claims have added to the disagreement between Kyiv and Tehran over Iran’s role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Iran and Russia Have Close Military Ties
Iran and Russia have developed a close military relationship in recent years.
Since 2022, Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones made in Iran.
Russia has modified the drones and used them in attacks against Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Iran of helping Russia by supplying weapons and military equipment.
The Ukrainian government says Iranian-made drones have been used in attacks that have killed hundreds of Ukrainian civilians.
In an interview with Sky News published over the weekend, Zelensky also claimed that Tehran was planning to send ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the war.
Reports have suggested that Russia had already begun receiving short-range missiles from Iran as early as 2024.
Iran has denied being directly involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
However, the two countries continue to maintain strong military and political ties.
Caspian Sea Is an Important Supply Route
The Caspian Sea is an important route connecting Russia and Iran.
The waterway is strategically important because it can be used to move goods and supplies between the two countries.
Ukraine has long accused Iran of supporting Russia’s military campaign.
However, Saturday’s attack appears to be the first time that Ukraine has directly targeted an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea.
This has raised concerns that the conflict could spread beyond the traditional battlefields in Ukraine.
Ukraine Rejects Iran’s Response
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded strongly to the Iranian criticism.
In his statement on Monday, Sybiha shared Araghchi’s post and described the Iranian claims as “Iranian lies.”
He also accused Iran of trying to take attention away from Russia’s attacks on ships carrying grain from Ukrainian ports.
According to Sybiha, those attacks threaten global food security because Ukraine is a major supplier of agricultural products to international markets.
Ukraine has also increased attacks on Russian oil and energy networks as part of its wider campaign against Moscow.
Ukraine Targets Russia’s Oil Revenue
Ukraine has been carrying out attacks against what it describes as Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.
The goal is to reduce one of the main sources of income that helps Russia fund its war.
Ukraine has also carried out drone attacks against oil depots and other important facilities.
Zelensky has described these actions as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions campaign.”
The campaign is designed to put pressure on Russia’s economy and make it more difficult for Moscow to continue funding its military operations.
The attacks have caused growing concern in Russia and have increased pressure on its oil and supply networks.
Experts Question the Decision to Target Iran
Although Ukraine says its actions are aimed at disrupting networks that support Russia’s war, some experts have questioned whether it was wise to directly target a ship linked to Iran.
Ivan Stupak, a former intelligence official, told the BBC that the main goal of the attacks was to disrupt important trading routes and cause as much damage as possible.
“The main idea… is to disrupt trading routes and cause as much damage as possible,” former intelligence official Ivan Stupak told the BBC.
However, he warned that Ukraine could face problems if the situation develops into another conflict.
“But it’s not a good idea for Ukraine to have another battlefront with Iran. It’s not good for us,” he added.
His comments reflect concerns that Ukraine already faces a major war against Russia and may not want to create another serious conflict with Iran.
Strike May Be Part of Wider Campaign Against Russia
Olha Polishchuk from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, known as Acled, offered a different view of the attack.
She said the strike should not necessarily be seen as Ukraine trying to start a new war with Iran.
Instead, she suggested that Ukraine may be targeting supply networks that help Russia continue its military campaign.
“The main idea… is to disrupt trading routes and cause as much damage as possible,” former intelligence official Ivan Stupak told the BBC.
Polishchuk said the attack could be part of Kyiv’s wider efforts to put pressure on Russia outside the main battlefield.
“Targeting that route allows Kyiv to put further pressure on Russia’s supply networks beyond the traditional battlefield,” she said.
A New Area of Tension
The attack in the Caspian Sea has created a new area of tension between Ukraine and Iran.
Ukraine says Iran has helped Russia by providing weapons used against Ukrainian cities, while Iran insists it has not taken part in the war.
The two countries now face a serious disagreement over what happened to the cargo ship and what it was carrying.
For Ukraine, the attack appears to be part of a wider effort to disrupt the supply networks that support Russia’s war.
For Iran, however, the incident is a serious attack that it says cannot be ignored.
As the war continues, the Caspian Sea may become an increasingly important part of the conflict because of its role as a major route between Russia and Iran.
The latest incident has also raised questions about whether Ukraine’s long-range campaign against Russia’s military supply networks could lead to further tensions with countries that have close ties to Moscow.
