Iran's foreign minister claimed that Ukraine attacked an Iranian ship, describing it as "an attack carried out at Israel's behest."
On the 26th, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X (formerly Twitter) that "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attacked an Iranian merchant vessel and killed one crew member." The Caspian Sea is a vast inland sea covering 370,000 square kilometers, surrounded by Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.
Araghchi also condemned the incident, saying it was "a clear violation of the UN Charter aimed at dragging Europe into the war at Israel's behest."
Earlier, Zelensky said on X that "in the Caspian Sea, a long-range strike hit a vessel and a warship transporting Iran-related military materiel." Zelensky also raised suspicions that Russia had provided Iran with satellite imagery of Gulf states and U.S. military bases.
The conflict between Iran and Ukraine is not a new story. Since Iran began selling "Shahed" suicide drones to Russia in 2022, Ukraine has been subjected to continuous drone attacks. Israel's Channel 12 broadcaster, citing Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, reported that the vessels were transporting Iranian-made weapons to support Russia's war in Ukraine. Iran's Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, drew a line, stating that "Iran has never been involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine."
The conflict between the United States and Iran, which had escalated through airstrikes over the past 13 days, has been suspended for a second consecutive day. However, amid the unstable ceasefire, the U.S. administration appears to be seeking to avoid responsibility. According to CNN, the U.S. Department of Defense (Department of War) reduced the number of those killed in the Iran war from 18 to 14 before restoring it, sparking a "downplaying" controversy. As a result, cumulative U.S. casualties have exceeded 600 (18 dead, 624 wounded).
The Defense Department also drew controversy by listing the start date of the Iran war on its official website not as February 28 but as July 7, when military action resumed after the ceasefire. Critics say that because military operations must be halted within 60 days without congressional approval, the intent is to push back the war's start date to avoid congressional approval.
