Iran summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran on Sunday to protest strikes on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, which Iran said killed one sailor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his forces hit vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as the war in the Middle East threatened to overlap with the Ukraine conflict. Oil prices dropped Friday on a report that Pakistan is seeking to restart U.S.-Iran talks.
Iran's foreign ministry summoned a Ukrainian diplomat in Tehran early Sunday over an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea. Iran said the attack left one sailor dead and injured several others.
The ministry conveyed Iran's strong protest over the "hostile and criminal act", Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Zelenskyy said Saturday in a post on X that Ukrainian forces made long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea, including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship. Russia has long used Iranian-designed Shahed drones in its war on Ukraine.
Two wars start to overlap
Ukraine's latest attacks, combined with Saudi military strikes on Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen, represent a widening of the Middle East conflict. The Saudi strikes followed the rebel group's attacks on Red Sea shipping in recent days, and air defenses in Saudi Arabia reportedly intercepted two ballistic missiles from Yemen on Saturday.
Yet the fighting came during a pause in U.S. strikes on Iran, after 13 straight nights of attacks. The New York Times cited administration officials as saying President Donald Trump has set aside, at least for now, plans to sharply escalate U.S. military assaults against Iran, amid concerns over falling stockpiles of Patriot anti-missile interceptors and other air defense munitions.
Blockade holds as Hormuz talks continue
U.S. Central Command said late Saturday its naval blockade against Iran remains in full effect. As of July 25, it had redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 2 that did not comply and boarded 2 to ensure total compliance.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said it now holds complete authority over the Strait of Hormuz and forced six ships to anchor following warnings over the last 24 hours. Formal high-level negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said technical talks with Oman on the strait continued over the weekend.
Oil retreats on report of renewed talks
Oil prices dropped Friday on a report that Pakistan is looking for a way to restart talks between the U.S. and Iran. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, fell nearly 4% to close at $96.78 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost 3% to settle at $89.31 per barrel.
Three sources told Reuters that Pakistan's effort to renew U.S.-Iran talks was backed by China.
Source: CNBC
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