TEHRAN – Iran says it was just moments away from launching strikes on three targets inside Ukraine. But according to senior Iranian military adviser and former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei, a last-minute diplomatic apology from Kyiv changed the course of events, halting what he described as a planned military response over the alleged attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea.
Former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran was prepared to launch military strikes on three locations in Ukraine following an alleged attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, but the operation was cancelled after what he described as an apology from Kyiv.
Speaking in TV interview, Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces had completed preparations for the retaliatory strikes after the commercial ship Anna was reportedly targeted. He said the planned operation was halted after diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Kyiv.
The decision followed telephone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Ukrainian counterpart. Araghchi later said the Ukrainian foreign minister explained that Kyiv had no intention of targeting the Iranian vessel and that the incident occurred within the context of the ongoing war with Russia rather than as an attempt to escalate tensions with Iran.
Rezaei, who now serves as a senior military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, also made a series of broader claims regarding Iran’s confrontation with the United States during what he described as the final days of a 40-day conflict. He alleged that Iran carried out highly accurate drone and missile strikes against US military positions, claiming the attacks inflicted severe damage on a US base in Kuwait, forced American troops to leave Erbil in Iraq, and prompted US Central Command (CENTCOM) commanders to relocate from Jordan to Israel.
According to Rezaei, these developments discouraged Washington from launching a ground offensive against Iran. The former IRGC commander also issued a fresh warning over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
“We will never allow any route through the Strait of Hormuz other than Iran’s own route. If the United States brings its ships into the Strait of Hormuz, we will target them,” Rezaei added.
The remarks come amid continuing regional tensions and follow reports of diplomatic exchanges between Iran and Ukraine over the Caspian Sea incident.
Iranian officials have not released further details about the alleged planned operation against Ukraine, while Ukraine has maintained that the reported attack on the Iranian commercial vessel was not intended to target Tehran.
