Tehran: Iran on Monday strongly condemned what it described as an illegal Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel, warning that the incident “will not go unanswered” and accusing Kyiv of escalating regional tensions.
Speaking at a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the alleged attack as a violation of international law and criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying his actions resembled those of “anarchists” whose decisions contributed to instability before World War I.
Iran calls attack illegal, blames Kyiv
Baqaei said Iran has consistently maintained that it is not a party to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, describing the reported strike on the Iranian vessel as “illegal, unjustifiable, a violation of the United Nations Charter and a dangerous act of adventurism.”
He also said countries supporting Ukraine should be held accountable for the incident, warning that such actions could have wider regional consequences.
One crew member killed, another injured
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the attack on July 25 caused an explosion aboard an Iranian commercial vessel, killing one crew member and injuring another.
The ministry said the strike violated Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, calling it an act of aggression that risks expanding the ongoing conflict. Iran also claimed Ukraine’s acknowledgement of the attack reflected a continuation of what it termed Kyiv’s hostile policy toward Tehran.
Iran urged the United Nations Security Council, European countries and other UN member states to condemn the incident and hold Ukraine accountable, reiterating that Tehran has no involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war