Ukraine's attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea has strained relations between the two countries. Experts suggest that the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and the U.S.-Iran conflict could converge.
According to a report by U.S. CNBC on July 26, Iranian authorities summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires following the attack on the Iranian vessel, which was confirmed to be carried out by Ukraine. Iran reported that one crew member was killed and several others injured in the incident. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that it conveyed a strong message of resistance against Ukraine's "hostile and criminal actions," as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency. The Tehran Times also released a video titled "Ukraine has entered the Iran war."
Ukraine did not deny the attack. On July 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that Ukraine conducted a long-range strike on an Iranian-linked vessel used for transporting military supplies in the Caspian Sea. Yevhen Korniychuk, Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, claimed in an interview with local N12 TV on July 26 that the vessel was carrying drone and missile components destined for Iran. In response, Iranian officials accused Ukraine of attempting to escalate the Russia-Ukraine war, asserting that the ship was carrying civilian goods, according to the Jerusalem Post.
International media and experts speculate that Ukraine's recent attack could indicate its involvement in the Iran conflict. Al Jazeera noted that relations between Iran and Ukraine have deteriorated sharply since Iran began supplying Shahed drones to Russia in 2022, suggesting that Ukraine's strike on the Iranian vessel could open a new front by overlapping the Ukraine and Middle East (U.S.-Iran) conflicts. Reports indicate that Russia has been importing Iranian drone technology for large-scale domestic production. Ukraine has long accused Russia of deploying thousands of Iranian drones in its attacks. Ambassador Korniychuk emphasized to Israeli citizens, "We are fighting the same enemy (Russia and Iran), representing different facets of an axis of evil."
Harry Kazianis, editor of the National Security Journal, wrote in a column on July 26 that Ukraine is targeting the expanding military trade routes between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea since 2022. He warned that this attack could merge the Iran and Ukraine wars into a single, larger conflict. Kazianis also noted that while Iran has maintained a position of non-involvement in the Ukraine war, it may retaliate following Ukraine's attack.
Within Iran, hardliners are calling for immediate retaliation. Ali Nikzad Samarin, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, described Ukraine's attack as a "reckless act" and warned that Iran would not remain passive. Former MP Nezameddin Mousavi suggested that Iran should respond by targeting the Black Sea with missiles.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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