Kathmandu— On Monday, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, expressed skepticism over Ukraine's claim that a drone strike on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea was unintentional. He stated that Tehran is waiting for concrete actions from Kyiv to support their explanation and warned of potential consequences if evidence contradicts Ukraine’s stance.

Ukraine's Explanation Challenged

Baghaei noted that Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have maintained that the attack was unintentional. However, he emphasized that Iran has substantial evidence suggesting otherwise. 'Very clear evidence and circumstantial evidence indicate that this attack was intentional,' Baghaei said.

The Iranian spokesperson also highlighted a phone call between Foreign Ministers Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Andrii Sybiha, where both sides assured each other of no escalation but Tehran remains vigilant about holding Ukraine accountable.

Diplomatic Tensions Persist

In the aftermath of the strike, which resulted in one fatality, Iran has sought compensation from Ukraine. Araghchi stated on X that he was assured by his Ukrainian counterpart that Ukraine seeks no escalation and is committed to defending against Russian aggression.

Sybiha warned Tehran to cease its military support for Russia, emphasizing that any defensive actions taken by Ukraine are aimed solely at countering ongoing Russian aggression.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.