The Iranian armed forces were fully prepared to carry out massive air strikes on three strategic targets in Ukraine.
However, the planned military operation was canceled at the last minute after the government in Kiev issued an official apology for the recent incident with an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea.
The news was officially confirmed by General Mohsen Rezaei, the current military advisor to the Iranian supreme leader. His statement was broadcast on Iranian state television and promptly quoted by leading international agencies.
Preparation for strike on three targets in Ukraine
According to information from Mohsen Rezaei's statement, the military command in Tehran has completed planning a retaliatory offensive aimed at three specific targets in Ukraine. The main reason for the prepared attack is the Ukrainian strike at the end of July against an Iranian ship flying the flag of the Islamic Republic in the Caspian Sea. In this incident, one Iranian sailor was killed and another was seriously injured, which caused a wave of sharp reactions in Tehran.
“We were fully prepared to attack three targets in Ukraine, but after the country apologized, we canceled the operation“, said General Rezaei, quoted in the journalistic material of the Israeli publication Ynet News (ynetnews.com).
Diplomatic shuttles prevented escalation
Additional details about the unexpected outcome reveal that the tension was defused through urgent high-level diplomatic contacts. According to the Al Mayadeen news channel, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha held an urgent phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
During the call, Sibiha assured Tehran that the strike on the ship was an "operational error" and was not deliberately aimed at Iranian state interests. He added that President Volodymyr Zelensky's initial public statement about the successful strike on the vessel was a "reckless act." The Ukrainian side initially claimed that the ship was carrying military cargo for Russia's needs.
The report by the Ukrainian media outlet RBC-Ukraine also notes that before the official apology, Iran had considered the possibility of launching medium-range missile strikes on one of the major Ukrainian seaports as direct retaliation for the incident.
Current situation and international reactions
The situation on the Tehran-Kiev axis remains stable, but under increased monitoring by international analysts. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on social media that the Islamic Republic is not seeking unnecessary military escalation, but insists on full compensation for material damage and taking responsibility for the human sacrifices. The international community took a breather, as a possible Iranian strike on Ukraine would have expanded the geographical scope of the conflict and drawn new global powers into it.