“All parties who consider themselves to be supporters and backers of Ukraine must be held accountable,” Esmaeil Baqaei said in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.
“Basically, the behavior of the Ukrainian president is reminiscent of the behavior of anarchists who took dangerous actions during World War I,” he said, stressing that “the consequences will definitely remain with you”.
Baqaei said four years ago, the Ukrainian regime lowered itself to the level of a tool in a geopolitical dispute between powers and accused other countries instead of worrying about its own country.
“It has constantly slandered others. We said from the beginning that we have no interference in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This action by Ukraine (the attack on the vessel) was a dangerous adventure that will not go unanswered, and the elders of Ukraine must hold (the president of Ukraine) accountable. We know that the Caspian littoral countries are unhappy with this action, and the Ukrainian regime must definitely be held accountable.”
On Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and an act of aggression that could further escalate the conflict. It said the Ukrainian leadership's acknowledgment of the attack reflected the continuation of Kiev's hostile approach toward Iran.
The ministry also stressed that, in accordance with international law and the inherent right of self-defense, Iran would not hesitate to defend its national interests and security, warning that responsibility for the consequences of the incident rests with the Ukrainian government and its supporters.