The Foreign Minister of Iran, Abbas Araqchi, has described the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, as a “freeloader” and has warned him that the attack on an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea that killed a sailor “will not go unanswered.” Furthermore, he has accused the Ukrainian president of acting in the service of Israel to “drag Europe” into the war in Iran.
In a message published on social networks, the minister has attacked Ukraine for what he considers “a flagrant violation of the UN Charter” and recalled that he has spoken with the diplomatic head of the European Union, Kaja Kallas. “I have made it clear that what this kyiv newspaper did will not go unanswered.”
Zelensky, for his part, has referred to this attack and has commented that it hit a Russian warship and vessels used to transport military cargo linked to Iran. The attack “completely destroyed the ship’s bridge and, sadly, one sailor was killed and three others were injured.”
Iran claims that this is a violation of the UN Charter
The ship was carrying iron cargo and was traveling from the port of Astrakhan to the port of Bandar Anzali, in this province of Gilan, “a route that had been used for years as a safe corridor for commercial exchanges between both ports.”
The attack occurred on Saturday afternoon, when the Iranian government denounced the death of the sailor after an attack by Ukraine, which it described as “an example of an act of aggression that can exacerbate” the war waged by the Islamic Republic against the United States and Israel.
“Any party concerned about peace and security in Eastern Europe and the surrounding regions must take a responsible stance against this dangerous action by the Ukrainian regime and hold it accountable for this criminal and provocative act,” Minister Araqchi detailed.
Iran has met with Ukraine
For all these reasons, Iran has summoned Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to protest the alleged attack. The manager has met with Manuchehr Moradi, assistant to the Foreign Minister and general director for Eurasia, who conveyed to him Tehran’s “strong protest” for what he described as a “hostile and criminal” act, as reported by the Tasnim agency.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying drones to Russia for use in the war and has also denounced Russian military support for Tehran since the start of the war launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
