Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha spoke with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday, July 28, seeking to avoid further escalation following Ukraine’s strike last week on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, which killed one and wounded several other sailors. Sybiha detailed the phone call in a statement on X, describing it as a “frank conversation” with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The call marked their first official contact since Sybiha took office in Sept. 2024.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even when it’s difficult,” Sybiha said, adding that he “emphasised the necessity to refrain from any escalatory steps.” Ukraine denies targeting civilians Sybiha told Araghchi that all of Ukraine’s actions remained aimed solely at defending the country from Russia’s aggression, adding that there was never any intention to target civilians or civilian vessels. He addressed Iran’s statements about the sailor’s death and the targeted vessel directly, saying Russia was “the root cause of all incidents” and continues to bear “full responsibility for all provocations and casualties.” “This war is illegal and it must end,” Sybiha said, calling on Iran to “end any support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.” The exchange came a day after Iran warned of “unforeseen consequences” following the strike, which President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday, July 25, had been carried out as part of long-range Ukrainian operations in the Caspian Sea targeting vessels carrying military cargo.