On July 25, 2026, Ukrainian forces conducted strikes in the Caspian Sea, targeting vessels identified as Port Olya 2 and Begey, which are alleged to transport Russian military cargo to Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry reported that an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel resulted in the death of one sailor and the injury of another.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident as an act of aggression and a violation of the UN Charter, claiming it was conducted at Israel's behest to escalate the conflict. In discussions with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Araghchi stated that the actions of the Ukrainian leadership would not go unanswered. Tehran further accused Kyiv of attempting to widen the ongoing war with Russia by involving the Caspian region.

This incident follows prior concerns expressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding Russian logistical support to Iran. While Ukraine characterizes the strikes as necessary to disrupt military supply chains, Iranian officials have vowed to defend their national interests and security in response to what they describe as an unprovoked attack.