Iran considered attacking Ukraine over ship strike in Caspian Sea, adviser to Khamenei claims

Mohsen Rezaei, adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, said Iran planned to strike three targets in Ukraine but canceled after Kyiv apologized, following a Ukrainian attack on a ship in the Caspian Sea. The SBU announced it struck sanctioned cargo vessels. Tensions eased after Ukrainian FM Sybiha spoke with Iranian FM Araghchi.

Mohsen Rezaei, adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, said in a PressTV interview that Iran planned to strike three key targets in Ukraine but called off the strikes after Kyiv apologized. The strikes were planned in response to a Ukrainian attack on a ship carrying cargo between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea. The SBU announced on July 25 that it struck sanctioned cargo vessels used for military transport between Iran and Russia. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strikes as an "act of aggression" that "cannot go unanswered." The New York Times reported that Iran considered a ballistic missile strike as a show of strength, which would have been a major escalation. Tensions eased after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha spoke with Araghchi on July 28, with Ukraine calling the strikes unintentional. Turkey's Anadolu Agency reported Araghchi demanded compensation for the damage.