Tehran: Iran's ambassador to Russia has strongly criticized a recent drone attack by Ukraine on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, labeling it as a 'criminal act.' The vessel, according to the ambassador, was strictly civilian and carried no military cargo.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Kazem Jalali, Iran's envoy to Russia, expressed on Monday that the attack resulted in the death of one Iranian national and injuries to several others. He extended his condolences to the victim's family and highlighted the cooperative efforts between Iran's consulate general in Astrakhan and Russian authorities to ensure the swift evacuation of Iranian crew members from the affected area.

Jalali noted that the attack was the central topic of a telephone discussion on Sunday between Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. He stated that Araghchi asserted Iran's right to respond to the aggression and that any further actions would be decided by Iran's leadership.

The ambassador detailed that the vessel, named Anna, was anchored roughly five kilometers from the Volga River's entrance when it was struck by a Ukrainian drone. The vessel was reportedly waiting for stormy weather to clear before resuming its journey.

In response to inquiries about potential Russian retaliation, given that the incident occurred in Russian territorial waters, Jalali affirmed that such expectations were reasonable. He emphasized that Iran anticipates Russia, as a friendly nation, to deliver a significant response to the 'criminal' attack.