OMM Redaksiyası
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed steps to prevent further tensions between their countries during a meeting on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, according to Sybiha.
In a statement on “X”, Sybiha said the talks followed up on their most recent phone call in July, after Tehran accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea.
“Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even in challenging circumstances,” Sybiha said, adding that the meeting in New York focused on “mutual steps to prevent further aggravation of tensions between our countries.”
Communication channels to remain open
The Ukrainian minister said the two sides agreed to keep existing communication channels open. They also exchanged views on developments in the Middle East and Europe, as well as various tracks of ongoing peace efforts.
“I reiterated Ukraine’s position in support of a sooner restoration of peace and stability in both our regions,” Sybiha said.
Dispute over Caspian Sea incident
In July, Iran said an attack on a commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea had killed one sailor and injured another. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said Ukrainian forces had struck vessels involved in military cargo shipments linked to Iran, without identifying a specific ship.
Sybiha said at the time that Ukraine’s actions were aimed “solely at defending our country from Russian aggression” and were never intended to target civilian vessels or people. He also called on Iran to end any support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Araghchi said his Ukrainian counterpart had assured him that the incident was unintentional and that Kyiv did not seek escalation. “Iran does not seek escalation either, but made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable. There must be restitution for losses,” he said.
