Iran Says It Has Evidence Ukrainian Strike on Iranian Ship in Caspian Sea Was Deliberate
Iran says it has obtained evidence indicating that a Ukrainian strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea was intentional, rejecting previous assurances from Kyiv that the incident was not a deliberate attack.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran has concluded, based on its available evidence, that the strike was carried out deliberately and warned that Iran would pursue measures to hold Ukraine accountable.
According to Baghaei, Iran “will take all necessary measures” to ensure Ukraine is held responsible for the incident and will also work to prevent similar attacks from occurring in the future.
The incident was first announced by Iran’s Foreign Ministry on July 25, when officials said an Iranian ship had been struck by Ukrainian forces while operating in the Caspian Sea, reportedly within Russian territorial waters.
Iranian authorities said one crew member was killed in the attack.
Kyiv has previously provided assurances regarding the incident, but Baghaei said Iran’s investigation has produced evidence that contradicts those explanations.
The alleged strike has added a new dimension to regional tensions, as the Caspian Sea has largely remained outside the direct battlefield of the Russia–Ukraine war. If confirmed, it would represent a rare incident involving an Iranian vessel in the region.
Iran has not publicly released the evidence it says supports its conclusions, and Ukraine has not responded publicly to Baghaei’s latest remarks. The claims have therefore not been independently verified.