Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi threatened to attack Ukraine Saturday — raising the prospect of a broader escalation of war in the Middle East.
Araghchi claimed an Iranian merchant ship was among the vessels struck by Kyiv in the Caspian Sea, asserting the Islamic Republic now had the right to retaliate.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with the fundamental principles and rules of international law, especially the principle of legitimate defense, will not hesitate to defend its national interests and security,” Abbas threatened in a statement Saturday evening.
Zelensky said Saturday that Ukraine struck Russian vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran. SERGEY DOLZHENKO/EPA/Shutterstock Iranian media threatened to attack Ukraine Saturday — raising the prospect of a broader escalation of war in the Middle East. Middle East Spectator/Telegram“The responsibility for the consequences of the adventurism of the head of the Ukrainian regime will be borne by that regime and its supporters and instigators.”
Araghchi — who also purported his country had “never intervened in the Russia-Ukraine conflict” despite sending weapons to Putin — claimed the vessel exploded, killing one sailor aboard and injuring another.
His threats echoed those made earlier in the day by Iranian media.
“A gentle reminder to Mr. Zelensky: All of Ukraine is within reach of Iran’s ballistic missiles,” Middle East Spectator, a pro-regime channel, wrote on Telegram, along with a map showing the range of Iran’s “super-heavy” Khorramshahr-4 missiles.
“Although it would be a waste of good missiles,” the account quipped.
The Caspian Sea, where Zelensky said some of the Kremlin’s ships were struck, connects Russia with Iran. REUTERSIt all came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Saturday that Kyiv struck Russian ships carrying military cargo between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea.
The waterway connects the two strategic allies.
“We achieved very strong results with long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran,” Zelensky wrote on X.
Ukraine’s Security Service said the sanctioned cargo ships transported military cargo between Iran and Russia — but it’s not yet known who was supplying whom.
Iran sent military equipment to Russia — including its infamous “Shahed” type drones — after its invasion of Ukraine, but whether the Kremlin is now returning the favor to help the Islamic Republic in its war against the US has been the subject of debate all week in Washington.
On Friday, President Trump issued a warning to China and Russia against providing weapons to Iran, saying “If they did, it would be very bad for them — certainly not in their best interests.”
“President Putin, despite the horrible war going on in Ukraine, told me that he would not sell weapons to Iran,” Trump wrote Friday on his Truth Social platform.
“I think I trust them,” he told reporters later at the White House.
Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Russia and China were involved with Iran in ways he would not specify.
“There are ways in which both of those countries are, at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing, yes,” Hegseth told a Senate hearing.
Later Saturday, Zelensky posted about what he called “Russia’s new assistance to the Iranian regime” — appearing to suggest the military cargo may have been bound for the Islamic Republic.
He did not, however, provide details about the shipment, instead accusing Russia of also sharing satellite imagery to help direct Tehran’s recent strikes on US bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.
“Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military facilities,” he revealed.
“These images subsequently appear in Iran. At the same time, there is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes.”
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