Daniel Wolfram
Iran alleges that the country was ready to hit three different sites in war-torn Ukraine, but decided not to after an unexpected apology.
Iran and Ukraine are both deeply occupied in their respective wars with different foes.
That did not stop the Iranian military from allegedly planning major attacks in Ukraine.
It required back-channel diplomacy by the country’s top advisers to stop Iran from getting directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Back from the brink
A senior official in Tehran now claims Iran came dangerously close to launching military strikes against targets inside Ukraine.
Mohsen Rezaei, who serves as a top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, alleges that Iranian military forces had prepared a major military response.
Speaking on Iranian state broadcaster PressTV, Rezaei claims commanders stood ready to hit three locations.
“We were set to strike three sites in Ukraine, but canceled the attack following Ukraine’s apology,” Rezaei said during his broadcast.
Caspian Sea clash
The conflict flared on July 25 after an attack in the Caspian Sea.
Ukrainian forces struck a cargo vessel sailing between Iran and Russia. Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, confirmed the ship was operating while evading international sanctions to transport military cargo.
The Caspian Sea has long served as a vital corridor for moving sensitive supplies beyond Western oversight.
Iran condemned the operation as “an act of aggression” and warned it “cannot go unanswered,” though Rezaei provided no proof or target names.
A high-stakes phone call defused the situation
Diplomacy worked overtime to defuse the growing crisis.
On July 28, Acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Sybiha confirmed he had a “frank conversation” with his counterpart.
During the phone call, Kyiv explained that the vessel strike was unintentional, according to Araghchi, who noted Tehran was not seeking escalation.
Iranian drones and a deepening rift
“I reiterated that all of Ukraine’s actions are aimed solely at defending our country from Russian aggression and never intended to target civilian vessels or people,” Sybiha said.
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A direct Iranian assault on Ukrainian soil would mark an alarming turn, drawing Tehran even deeper into the European war.
Relations have been severely strained since 2022 over Iranian Shahed drones used against Ukrainian cities.
Iran even licensed drone production inside Russia, solidifying its military alliance with Moscow.
