Iranian Foreign Minister Demands Accountability for Ukraine's Attack on Iranian Vessel

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned the Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, demanding that those responsible and their supporters be held accountable for this criminal act.

In a phone conversation with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas, Araghchi called for a decisive response from the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, and the international community to ensure accountability for the perpetrators and their backers.

Both Araghchi and Kallas emphasized the importance of adopting diplomatic initiatives to manage tensions, referring to recent developments in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's response to U.S. aggression against the country, according to the Fars news agency.

In a statement issued on Saturday evening, the Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Ukrainian military attack on the Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea, stating that Iran will not hesitate to defend its interests and national security in accordance with fundamental principles and rules of international law, especially the right to self-defense. The statement added that the Ukrainian regime and its supporters and instigators will bear responsibility for the consequences of Ukraine’s actions.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine had targeted ships in the Caspian Sea allegedly transporting military cargo linked to Iran. He wrote on the platform X that Ukraine had targeted vessels used to transport military shipments related to Iran, as well as a warship.