Iran repatriates crew after deadly attack on cargo ship

Iran has returned the crew of a commercial cargo ship, allegedly attacked by Ukraine, along with the body of a sailor who died in the incident. The attack, which occurred on July 26 in the Caspian Sea near the Volga River, killed one crew member, injured others, and severely damaged the ship's bridge.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of authorizing the strike, warning of retaliation and calling the act a violation of international law. He discussed the incident with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Ukraine has acknowledged conducting long-range operations in the Caspian Sea, with Zelenskyy stating that Ukrainian forces targeted vessels believed to be carrying military goods linked to Iran and a Russian warship. However, Tehran maintains the ship was a civilian commercial vessel and denies using the route for military transport.

The Kremlin condemned the strike as an attack on Iran, highlighting what it views as a growing threat from Kyiv's intensified military operations. This incident is noted as one of the few documented Ukrainian strikes in the Caspian Sea, expanding the conflict's reach beyond its usual theaters and increasing concerns over Iran's close ties with Russia.

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The body of an Iranian sailor killed after a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial ship has been returned to Iran, state news agency ISNA reported.