Kremlin condemns Ukrainian attack on Iranian ship in Caspian Sea

The Kremlin on Sunday condemned a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian merchant ship in the Caspian Sea, an incident that has expanded the conflict's geography and heightened regional tensions. Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesperson, labeled the action aggressive and suggested it could have been a "casus belli" in other times.

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Those actions are aggressive (...) In other times, that would have been a casus belli

Peskov warned that Iran is a sovereign nation determined to defend its rights and possesses the necessary capabilities. He expressed concern over the conflict's expanding reach, stating, "The expansion of the conflict's geography is, of course, not something we would like to see." He also recalled Ukraine's alleged attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines.

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Iran is a sovereign country that is extremely determined when it comes to defending its rights and has the corresponding potential.

Iran summoned Ukraine's charge d'affaires in Tehran to protest the attack, which reportedly killed one sailor and injured another. Tehran vowed to firmly defend its security and national interests, promising no attack on its citizens' lives or property would go unanswered. However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga countered that Iran, which has supplied weapons to Moscow since the war's start, cannot claim victim status.

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The expansion of the conflict's geography, of course, is not something that we would like to see.

Sybiga criticized Iran's threats, referencing a message from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, who had accused Israel of ordering the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also weighed in, questioning what Iran expected when it had transferred drone technology and licenses to Russia early in the war. He pointed out that these actions constituted attacks against Ukraine.

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Iran is not in a position to play the victim, let alone justify its threats with absurd references to the UN Charter.