TEHRAN July 28, 2026 – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that his Ukrainian counterpart assured him a recent attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea was unintentional and that Kyiv does not seek further escalation.
In a statement following a phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Araghchi reported that Ukraine had reached out to confirm the strike was not deliberate. “Ukraine reached out and assured us that the attack on an Iranian ship was unintentional and Kyiv does not seek escalation,” he said. Iran also does not want escalation, Araghchi added, but stressed that attacks on Iranian citizens or national interests remain unacceptable and that restitution for losses must be provided.
The incident occurred over the weekend, when Ukrainian forces carried out long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operations targeted vessels used to transport military cargo linked to Iran and Russia. Ukraine has long accused Tehran of supplying drones and other weapons that have aided Russia’s war effort.
Iran described the targeted ship as a commercial vessel carrying steel from Russia’s Astrakhan port toward Iran’s Anzali port. Iranian officials said the attack caused an explosion that killed one sailor and injured others, and they initially condemned it as a violation of the UN Charter. Araghchi had earlier warned that the strike “cannot go unanswered” and suggested it may have been carried out at Israel’s behest.
On Tuesday both sides signaled a desire to contain the fallout. Sybiha said Ukraine’s actions are directed solely at defending against Russia and that Kyiv seeks to avoid unnecessary escalation with Iran. The diplomatic exchange marks an attempt to prevent the incident from opening a new front between the two countries amid the broader Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Iran has summoned Ukraine’s charge d’affaires in Tehran and continues to demand accountability and compensation for the damage and loss of life.
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