Iran Rejects Another Ceasefire Request from US
A Ukrainian strike on an Iranian commercial vessel caused an explosion on board, killing one sailor and wounding another person, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
Iran warned it “will not hesitate to defend its national interests and security,” adding that responsibility lies with the Ukrainian regime and its supporters.
According to Reuters, Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying it resulted in an explosion that killed one sailor and injured another.
Throughout the war in Ukraine, Kyiv has had to counter Iranian-designed drones deployed by Moscow. Kyiv has offered its drone interception expertise to countries in the Middle East that have suffered strikes from Iran.
Tehran described the attack on its vessel as an act of aggression and said it would defend its national interests and security, while accusing Kyiv of seeking to expand the war in Ukraine.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran to convey its protest over what it described as a "hostile and criminal" attack, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
The Iranian denunciation coincided with comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Kyiv had noted Russia was passing on its satellite observations in the Middle East to Iran to enable it to direct strikes in the region.
Zelenskiy had earlier said that Ukraine's forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iranian-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
The Ukrainian president, in subsequent remarks posted on X, said Kyiv had recorded since the beginning of July "active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military facilities located there. These images subsequently appear in Iran."
"At the same time, there is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes — both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to assess the damage inflicted," Zelenskiy said.
He said that on July 19 and 20 alone, Russian satellite observation had included four air bases: two in Bahrain, one in Jordan and one in Kuwait.
After repeated rejection from Iran, US President Donald Trump has reportedly asked for another ceasefire including Yemen and postponed a planned “massive attack,” according to Israeli Channel 11.
In the Oval Office Trump said: “I haven’t [decided]. Look, we’re talking to them right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by.”
Tehran has already rejected three previous U.S.-backed ceasefire proposals this week, delivered through Qatar, Iraq, and Pakistan. The latest offer is likely headed the same way.
An unconfirmed report has it that America has carried out a drone attack on the Parchin military base in Tehran.
The situation seems very serious and there is a fear of many people getting killed.
Trump said Saturday he was “absolutely” considering resuming a full-scale war with Iran “if we don’t get 100% of what we want,” during a phone interview with French broadcaster LCI.
Asked whether he had a message for Washington’s European allies, Trump said, “They’re lucky they have me as their friend.”
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