Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after Tehran condemned a Ukrainian drone attack on a commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea. During the conversation, Sybiha stressed the need to avoid steps that could escalate tensions and called for an end to all support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“I stressed the need to refrain from any escalatory actions, as well as to end support for Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Sybiha wrote on X. “This war is illegal and must end.”
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the call and said Sybiha stated the attack was “unintentional and that Ukraine has no desire to escalate tensions.” Araghchi wrote on X that “Iran does not seek escalation, but made clear that any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable,” while demanding “compensation for losses.”
Earlier, Araghchi declared that the attack on the Iranian commercial vessel, which killed one sailor and wounded another, “cannot go unanswered.” He also accused Israel of provoking the attack in order to “drag Europe into its war.”
Ukraine said its target was a Russian warship and vessels used to transport military cargo linked to Iran. Sybiha affirmed that Ukraine’s actions “are solely aimed at defending the country from Russian aggression and were never intended to target civilian vessels or people.”
During more than four years of conflict with Russia, Ukraine has faced attacks from Iranian-designed drones. Kyiv has developed technology to counter drone threats and has offered assistance to Middle Eastern countries facing Tehran’s attacks.
On the same day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he discussed the “Iranian threat” with his Ukrainian counterpart and expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation with Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held separate meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Earlier, senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi warned that “any attack on Iran always comes with a cost” and “Ukraine may soon understand that Iran will not leave any action unanswered.”
