Heads of Ukrainian, Iranian foreign ministries hold phone call after vessel attack
Kyiv, July 29
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that he called Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi by phone.
In a post on X, Sybiha wrote that during the "frank conversation" he stressed that Ukraine's goal is "to avoid unnecessary escalation."
Iran accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea on Saturday, leading to the vessel's explosion and a sailor's death, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sybiha said he had reiterated that all of Ukraine's actions were "aimed solely at defending our country" and "never intended to target civilian vessels or people."
"This is also true with regard to Iran's statements about their national who died and a civilian vessel that was targeted in a recent incident," he noted.
"I emphasised the necessity to refrain from any escalatory steps," he added.
Araghchi said on Tuesday that his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, has assured him that Ukraine's Saturday attack on an Iranian commercial ship was "unintentional" and that Ukraine "does not seek escalation."
In a post on social media platform X following a phone call earlier in the day with Sybiha, Araghchi said that "Iran does not seek escalation either, but made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable. There must be restitution for losses."
In a post on X earlier in the day, Sybiha confirmed the call, calling it "a frank conversation." He noted that, "Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even when it's difficult" and stressed that "our goal is to avoid unnecessary escalation."
He also emphasised "the necessity to refrain from any escalatory steps."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in a statement on Saturday, saying that it led to the vessel's explosion and a sailor's death.
The semi-official Mehr news agency on Sunday reported that three sailors were also injured in the attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his country's forces had hit a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Classic case of unintended consequences in war. Ukraine says they were targeting Russian military assets but an Iranian commercial ship got caught in crossfire. At least they're talking now. But restitution for losses? That's going to be a tough negotiation with all this geopolitical tension. 😕
Good to see Ukraine taking responsibility and calling Iran directly. Sybiha saying "diplomacy is about direct conversation even when it's difficult" - that's leadership. India has always supported dialogue over conflict. But Iran's demand for restitution is legitimate too. Let's hope both sides show maturity. 🙏
Interesting how this plays into the bigger geopolitical puzzle. Iran and Russia allies, Ukraine at war with Russia. Now a civilian ship hit. Both sides saying they don't want escalation - that's promising. But with the Caspian Sea being so strategic for energy routes, this could get complicated fast.
As an Indian, I'm watching this closely because both Ukraine and Iran are important for our foreign policy. Ukraine provides military tech, Iran is key for energy and Chabahar port. A diplomatic resolution here is in everyone's interest, including India. War always has unintended victims - that sailor's family deserves justice.
Respect to both foreign ministers for having a "frank conversation". In today's world of social media grandstanding, actual phone calls between adversaries are rare. Ukraine admitting it was unintentional is a good first step. But Iran's position that "any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable" is completely fair. Now comes the hard part: agreeing on compensation.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.