Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of inciting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attack an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor. In a statement Sunday evening, Araghchi called Zelensky an 'opportunist' and said the attack 'cannot go unanswered,' adding that he conveyed this position to EU and Russian officials.
This evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a statement explicitly accusing Israel of inciting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attack an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a crew member. Araghchi referred to Zelensky as "the opportunist sitting in Kyiv" and warned that the attack "cannot go unanswered." He said he had raised the matter with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, calling the strike a violation of the UN Charter.
The new statement escalates the rhetoric from earlier reports. At 19:04 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Araghchi had warned after his talks with Kallas and Lavrov that the attack would not go unanswered. That earlier report already quoted him accusing Zelensky of acting on Israel's orders to drag Europe into war. The latest statement adds the direct accusation of Israeli incitement and the personal attack on Zelensky.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Araghchi's statements, including his criticism of Israeli officials and his diplomatic engagements with Russia regarding the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
The details of the attack — an Iranian commercial vessel struck, killing a sailor — remain based solely on Iranian claims. Israel has not commented on the accusations. The incident has not been independently verified by other sources.
4 developments
- DevelopingAraghchi warns Ukraine's steps 'will not go unanswered'
- StrongUkraine's ambassador says country will strike Iranian ships again, confirms Caspian Sea attack carried drone components
- DevelopingIranian Foreign Minister Araghchi threatens to attack US forces
- StrongIran's Araghchi vows armed forces will retaliate against any attack
Source and signal
- Open-source intake