Iran protests Ukrainian strike on Caspian Sea vessel, cites sailor death
Iran summoned a Ukrainian diplomat to protest a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea that killed one sailor and injured others, amid broader regional tensions involving Saudi and U.S. actions.
Iran lodged a formal protest on Sunday after a Ukrainian long-range strike hit an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, killing one crew member and wounding several others. The Iranian foreign ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran and described the incident as a "hostile and criminal act," according to the state news agency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later posted on X that Ukrainian forces had achieved "very strong results" with long-range attacks in the Caspian Sea, targeting vessels used for military cargo shipments involving Iran and a warship.
The incident comes as Saudi Arabia reported intercepting two ballistic missiles launched from Yemen, and as U.S. Central Command confirmed its naval blockade of Iran remains in effect, having redirected or disabled several commercial ships that attempted to breach it.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy announced it had taken "complete authority" over the Strait of Hormuz, forcing six ships to anchor after issuing warnings. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said technical talks with Oman on the strait continued over the weekend.
In related developments, oil prices fell on reports that Pakistan is seeking to restart U.S.–Iran talks, a move reportedly supported by China.