Iran accuses Ukraine of targeting Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, vows retaliation

TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (YPA) – The Islamic Republic of Iran accused Ukrainian authorities of direct responsibility for the attack on an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, asserting that the incident “cannot be justified by the pretext of an unintentional mistake” and that Tehran will not compromise in defending its sovereignty.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that Iran possesses evidence proving the operation was deliberate, pointing to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statements about “tangible results” from long-range strikes, which he said reveals hostile intentions.

He added that Tehran will resort to all legal and political means to obtain compensation for the human and material losses and will not wait long for Kyiv’s response.

According to Iranian information, the attack resulted in the death of one crew member and injuries to others, and caused significant damage to the ship, which was transporting a shipment of iron from Russia to Iran.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry considered the targeting of a civilian vessel in the Caspian Sea a dangerous escalation that threatens the security of navigation in this vital trade and energy artery, and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, calling on the international community to condemn what it described as “Ukrainian maritime terrorism.”

For its part, Moscow supported the Iranian position and the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attack “demonstrates the Kyiv regime’s pursuit of spreading terrorism beyond its borders.”