Iran's Foreign Ministry says evidence indicates the attack on an Iranian merchant ship in Russian waters was deliberate

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday 12 Mordad 1405 (3 August 2026), in response to a question about Iran's follow-up on the attack on an Iranian merchant ship in Russian waters, that Ukrainian officials had stressed both in direct contact with the foreign minister and in messages sent to Tehran that the act was unintentional.

He added that clear evidence and indications, including statements by Ukraine's president, suggest the attack was deliberate, and that Tehran is waiting to see whether the Ukrainian side takes any practical step supporting its claim.

Baghaei said Iran would take whatever action is necessary to hold Ukraine accountable and to prevent a repetition of such an incident. The body of the sailor who was killed and the ship's crew were returned to Iran last week. The security of maritime routes is among the factors affecting Iran's shipping costs and foreign trade.