TEHRAN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- One sailer was killed and three others were injured in a Saturday Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial ship in the Caspian Sea, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Sunday, citing Hadi Haghshenas, governor of northern Iran's Gilan Province, which is located in the southwest of the sea.
The vessel, laden with steel, was sailing from Russia's Astrakhan Port to Iran's Anzali Port in Gilan when it came under attack, Haghshenas said, adding the ship's bridge was completely destroyed, rendering it unable to continue its voyage.
The governor said the attack violated maritime security and trade order, and the incident will be pursued through appropriate domestic and international channels.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media platform X that Ukrainian forces had hit a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry then condemned the attack on the Iranian commercial ship as a violation of the UN Charter and an "act of aggression."
The ministry also summoned Ukraine's charge d'affaires in Tehran, formally delivering a note of protest condemning the "hostile and criminal" act. ■
