Sybiha Says Ukraine Wants to Avoid Escalation With Iran

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha spoke with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday, July 28, seeking to avoid further escalation following Ukraine’s strike last week on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, which killed one and wounded several other sailors. Sybiha detailed the phone call in a statement on X, describing it as a “frank conversation” with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The call marked their first official contact since Sybiha took office in September 2024.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even when it’s difficult,” Sybiha said, adding that he “emphasised the necessity to refrain from any escalatory steps.” Ukraine denies targeting civilians Sybiha told Araghchi that all of Ukraine’s actions remained aimed solely at defending the country from Russia’s aggression, adding that there was never any intention to target civilians or civilian vessels. He addressed Iran’s statements about the sailor’s death and the targeted vessel directly, saying Russia was “the root cause of all incidents” and continues to bear “full responsibility for all provocations and casualties.” “This war is illegal and it must end,” Sybiha said, calling on Iran to “end any support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.” The exchange came a day after Iran warned of “unforeseen consequences” following the strike, which President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday, July 25, had been carried out as part of long-range Ukrainian operations in the Caspian Sea targeting vessels carrying military cargo. Other Topics of Interest Zelensky Marks Olenivka Anniversary, Confirms 9,613 Prisoners of War Freed Zelensky honored Olenivka victims and confirmed thousands of war prisoners still remain in Russian captivity. Strained ties amid Russia’s war Relations between Kyiv and Tehran have remained tense since Iran began supplying Shahed drones to Russia at the beginning of the war in 2022, making it one of Russia’s key allies in the conflict. Ukraine, for its part, said it has provided counter-drone support to Gulf states targeted by Iranian attacks since the Middle East war launched by Israel and the United States at the end of February, AFP reported. “Our position remains unchanged,” Sybiha said. “Europe and the Middle East deserve stability, security, and peace.” As Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned that Tehran reserves the right to take “appropriate action” in response to Ukraine’s Caspian Sea strike, which it described as targeting a commercial vessel, Zelensky rejected Tehran’s previous claim of noninvolvement in Russia’s war. According to Zelensky, Iran had “already attacked” Ukraine by supplying Moscow’s war machine. He acknowledged the risk of opening a new front, but insisted Ukraine “must be honest” about Iranian and North Korean support for Russia’s invasion, saying that “we cannot trust these people.” Tensions as boader diplomatic and legislative push unfolds The exchange came the same day Zelensky met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, where the two leaders discussed the Patriot licensing arrangement, alongside ways to accelerate diplomatic and strategic efforts to end Russia’s aggression. Simultaneously, US senators unveiled a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran that would allow Trump to impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy and extend sanctions against Tehran. The measure is expected to go through a procedural vote in the Senate later on Tuesday, after Trump signaled his support for the legislation, which was introduced by the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 at the age of 71. On Monday, July 27, Trump said his administration would investigate Zelensky’s claim that Russia shared satellite images of American bases with Iran, although he dismissed any real impact given Iran’s “limited military capabilities.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.