Iran canceled plans to strike 3 sites in Ukraine after Kyiv ‘apology’: Top Iranian military adviser

Iran was prepared to launch strikes on three sites in Ukraine before scrapping the operation after an “apology” from Kyiv, a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Monday, Anadolu reports.

In an interview with Iranian state television, Mohsen Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was called off.

Rezaei also warned that Iran would not allow any maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz outside Iran’s designated route, saying any hostile naval vessel attempting to use an “illegal route” would be targeted.

He also said that Iran had inflicted heavy losses on US forces during the recent 17-day conflict, adding that Iranian missile and drone attacks had thwarted Washington’s military objectives.

READ: Iran denies seeking halt to US attacks, agreement to reopen Strait of Hormuz

The remarks came after Iran accused Ukraine on July 25 of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, killing one crew member.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later told his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha that Kyiv should compensate Tehran for the damage caused by the attack.

Tensions have escalated across the Middle East since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, triggering retaliatory strikes by Tehran targeting several countries across the region.

​​​​​​​The US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in April and subsequently signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending their military conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement. The deal collapsed last month, however, with the US and Iran exchanging attacks for nearly two weeks.

READ: Iran says it carried out 14 ground operations against opposition groups in Northern Iraq