Iran has considered launching a ballistic missile strike on a Ukrainian Black Sea port in response to the Ukrainian attack on an Iranian merchant ship in the Caspian Sea. This is reported by the New York Times, citing Iranian and Western officials, Focus writes.
The escalation came after the attack on the Iranian cargo ship, in which, according to Tehran, one sailor was killed. Sources familiar with the intelligence had expected Iran to launch a missile with a small warhead to cause 'relatively little damage'.
However, internal debates within the Iranian government have divided government officials. Mehdi Rahmati, an analyst close to the Iranian government, commented on the situation:
''Ukraine is not a small and insignificant country. It has combat experience and logistical support from America and Europe. We will not gain anything by opening a new front in the war'', he stressed.
The tension was brought under control after a series of urgent diplomatic talks. After Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made public threats, his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sibiga held a telephone conversation with him. After the conversation, Araghchi announced on the social network X that Sibiga had described the attack on the cargo ship as unintentional, but added that Tehran was demanding ''compensation for damages''. Aragchi also spoke a few days ago with the EU's top diplomat Kaia Kallas in search of ways to de-escalate and try to hold Kiev accountable for the attack.
The tension between the two countries began on July 25, when the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported the destruction of drones on board the cargo ships ''Port Olya 2'' and ''Begey'' in the Caspian Sea. According to Kiev, the vessels are under international sanctions and are transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry then condemned the strike and said it reserved the right to defend its national interests, while Araghchi accused Ukraine of trying to drag Europe into a wider conflict.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Iran was already de facto participating in the war by supplying ''Shahed'' drones and technology to the Kremlin. Zelensky also added that Ukraine ''must act cautiously and not allow the opening of a new front''.
Before the diplomatic talks between Sibiga and Araghchi, on July 28, allegations appeared in Ukrainian and Western media of an imminent Iranian missile strike within 48 hours. The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andrey Kovalenko, clarified that there is no official data on such an intention, although Iran has such a military potential. Subsequently, both sides confirmed that they do not seek further escalation.