Iran cancels retaliation against Ukraine after apology

Iran has called off planned retaliatory strikes against Ukraine following a drone attack on an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea last month, according to a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader. The decision came after Ukraine offered an apology and described the strike as unintentional.

The incident occurred on July 25, when Ukrainian forces targeted the vessel, which Iran identifies as the dry cargo ship Ana. The attack killed one Iranian sailor, injured several others, and caused significant damage. A senior Iranian military official stated on August 3 that Tehran had selected three targets in Ukraine for retaliation but canceled the operation after receiving Kyiv's apology. Iran's Foreign Ministry had earlier summoned Ukraine's top diplomat to protest what it called an act of aggression.

Ukrainian officials have offered conflicting statements. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially framed the operation as defensive, stating Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian warship and vessels believed to be transporting Iranian-linked military cargo to support Russia's war effort. He argued that Iran has been attacking Ukraine for years by supplying weapons to Russia. However,...