Camilla Jessen
A Ukrainian diplomat responded sharply after Iran invited officials to sign a condolence book for the former supreme leader.
A diplomatic dispute has erupted after Iran reportedly invited Ukraine to sign a condolence book for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa notified the Ukrainian Embassy about the opening of a condolence book following Khamenei’s death on February 28 in missile strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
Ukrainian diplomat Oleksandr Shcherba publicly rejected the request in a statement shared on Facebook.
He argued that Iran’s leadership had helped Russia during its invasion of Ukraine by supplying military equipment.
“As military allies of the Russian Federation, Iran’s leaders have stained themselves with the blood of thousands of Ukrainian citizens — men and women, children and the elderly — killed with the help of the famous Iranian ‘Shahed’ drones and other military technologies,” Shcherba wrote, according to Unian.
‘Every criminal gets what he deserves’
Shcherba said he does not celebrate deaths but believes those responsible for violence must ultimately face consequences.
“As a person of faith, I try not to rejoice in the deaths of other people — not even those who consciously chose to be the executioners of my people,” he said.
“But as a man who lived for three years in Kiev under the daily roar of Iranian death machines, I cannot help but wish that every criminal receives what he deserves for his deeds.”
He added that he held no personal animosity toward Iranian diplomats but would not offer condolences.
“I hope you understand that I will not express grief for people whose deaths do not cause me pain,” he said.
Relations between Kyiv and Tehran have been strained since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine and Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying drones and other military equipment used by Russian forces in attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Sources: Unian, Digi24, Facebook.
