Ukraine launched a strike on an Iranian tanker in an attack that threatens to ‘drag Europe’ into the Middle East conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed strikes against sanctioned ships transporting military cargo between Iran and Russia within the Caspian Sea on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hit back: ‘Zelensky has attacked an Iranian business vessel, killing a sailor.
‘A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to pull Europe into its war.
‘In calls with EU High Rep Kallas and FM Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an online
browser that
supports HTML5
video
Enroll for all of the most recent stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
Tehran and Kyiv are only 1,200 miles apart, well inside range of ballistic missiles which each countries own, sparking fears of the wars merging effectively creating the conditions for WWIII.
Zelensky also accused Russia of giving Iran satellite images of US targets to attack.
‘For the reason that starting of July, we now have recorded energetic Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and US military facilities positioned there,’ Zelensky said on X.
‘These images subsequently appear in Iran. At the identical time, there’s a transparent correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of those sites and Iranian strikes — each before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to evaluate the damage inflicted.’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry reported an explosion aboard the business vessel on Saturday morning that also wounded one other sailor before adding Tehran has remained neutral in Russia’s invasion.
Iranian deputy parliament speaker Ali Nikzad added: ‘Iran will at all times exercise its legal right to defend its territorial integrity.
‘Any location used as a launching point for aggression against our country and territory will undoubtedly be considered a legitimate goal for our armed forces, and the Ukrainian government’s reckless motion is not going to go unanswered.’
He also warned Ukraine, Britain and Bulgaria against supporting US military actions, saying any location used to launch attacks on Iran can be considered a ‘legitimate goal’.
The threats threatened to boil over even after President Donald Trump abruptly called off his two-week-old bombing campaign.
After 13 nights of intensifying US airstrikes on Iran, the Pentagon abruptly suspended the campaign late on Friday, with no attacks reported on either Saturday or Sunday.
The Iranian Health Ministry says 3,434 people have been killed for the reason that war began, including 55 in the course of the recent escalation. The most recent U.S. strikes temporarily disrupted transportation and communications inside Iran, and damaged water infrastructure utilized by 1000’s of individuals.
Eighteen American service members are believed to have been killed for the reason that start of the Iran war, including 4 US soldiers in recent days
MORE: Ukrainian troops on the frontline get KFC delivered by drone
MORE: Donald Trump sends message to Ferran Torres after Spain hero wears MAGA-style hat at World Cup parade
MORE: No muppets can spoil my World Cup memories but I’m not ready for goodbye