On Wednesday, September 23, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss ways to prevent further escalation of bilateral tensions.
During the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia used a large number of Iranian-designed drones to attack Ukraine, prompting Ukraine to develop technology to counter the drone threats and provide defense technology support to Gulf countries facing Iranian drone and missile attacks.
The relationship between the two countries has become increasingly tense due to Iran’s support for Russia, making this meeting a rare direct contact between high-ranking officials from both sides.
Sybiha wrote on X platform, “The essence of diplomacy lies in direct dialogue, even in challenging circumstances. Our discussion focused on preventing further escalation of tensions between the two countries, hence we agreed to maintain the existing communication channels.”
He mentioned that the two foreign ministers exchanged views on the situations in the Middle East and Europe, and discussed ongoing peace efforts, stating, “I reiterated Ukraine’s position to him, which supports the swift restoration of peace and stability in both regions.”
Back in July, the two had a conversation after a Ukrainian drone struck an Iranian ship in the Black Sea, resulting in the death of one sailor and injury of another. Several media outlets reported that the incident occurred in late July. Ukraine accused the ship of carrying military supplies to support Russia, while Iran claimed it was a commercial vessel and threatened retaliation against Ukraine.
At that time, Sybiha urged Iran to exercise restraint and cease any escalation actions, as well as halt any support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
As of press time, Iran has not released a detailed public statement regarding the meeting on September 23.
(Reference: Reuters report)