Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed on Tuesday that he conducted direct diplomatic communications with officials from Iran and Israel. The primary focus of the discussion with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was a recent incident in the Caspian Sea, where a sailor was killed during a Ukrainian military operation targeting an Iranian vessel.

During the conversation, Sybiha stated that he informed Araghchi that Ukraine’s military actions are strictly intended to defend against Russian aggression. He further urged the Iranian government to avoid taking retaliatory measures that could lead to further regional escalation. While the report from Middle East Eye notes that Sybiha also held a call with his Israeli counterpart, the specific details regarding the content or outcome of the conversation with Israel were not provided in the available source material.

The diplomatic outreach comes as Ukraine seeks to manage its international relationships while continuing its defense efforts against Russia. By engaging directly with Tehran, Kyiv appears to be attempting to mitigate the fallout from the Caspian Sea incident and prevent the opening of new fronts or increased hostility from Iranian-aligned actors. The situation remains sensitive, as Ukraine balances its military objectives with the need to maintain stable communication channels with nations that have varying degrees of alignment with Moscow.