BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement condemning what it described as Ukraine's attack on an Iranian merchant vessel in the Caspian Sea.
The statement was published on the official website of Iran's Foreign Ministry.
According to the Iranian side, the incident occurred on the morning of Aug. 25. The vessel was damaged in the attack, with one sailor killed and another injured.
Tehran said it views the incident as a violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter and "an act of aggression" that could further escalate the conflict.
Iran also reiterated that it has not been involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and called on the UN Security Council, European countries and all UN member states to assess the incident.
"Any party concerned about peace and security in Eastern Europe and the surrounding regions must take a responsible stance against this dangerous action by the Ukrainian regime and hold the Ukrainian government accountable," the statement said.
Tehran also stated that Iran "will not hesitate to defend its national interests and security in accordance with the fundamental principles and rules of international law, especially the principle of self-defense."
