Ukraine's foreign minister calls Iranian counterpart over threats to strike Ukraine

According to the official, he held a "frank" phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He stressed that even in difficult situations, diplomacy remains a tool for direct dialogue, and Ukraine’s main goal is to prevent further escalation.

Sybiha emphasized that all actions by Ukraine are aimed solely at defending itself against Russian aggression.

"I reiterated that all of Ukraine’s actions are aimed solely at defending our country from Russian aggression and never intended to target civilian vessels or people," he said.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also commented on Iran’s statements regarding the death of an Iranian citizen and damage to a civilian vessel during a recent incident.

"Our goal is to counter Russian aggression, which is the root cause of all incidents, and it is Russia who bears full responsibility for all provocations and casualties," Sybiha stressed.

During the conversation, the minister also called on Iran to refrain from any actions that could lead to further escalation and to stop supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.

"This war is illegal, and it must end. Our position remains unchanged: Europe and the Middle East deserve stability, security, and peace," the head of Ukraine’s foreign ministry concluded.

What happened before

On July 26, Iran made serious accusations against Ukraine. Tehran claimed that Ukrainian forces had attacked a civilian vessel in the Caspian Sea, killing one sailor and injuring another.

On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had achieved good results with long-range strikes in the Caspian region. According to him, the target was a vessel used to transport military supplies to Russia.

Later, Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stressed that any military logistics supporting Russia’s needs is a legitimate military target.