TEHRAN: A senior military adviser to Iran’s former supreme leader has claimed that Tehran prepared to launch strikes on three locations in Ukraine but called off the operation after Kyiv allegedly issued an apology.
Speaking to Iran’s state television, Mohsen Rezaei said the Iranian armed forces had completed all preparations for the planned attacks before the operation was cancelled, according to Türkiye’s Anadolu news agency.
Rezaei claimed Iran decided not to proceed after receiving an apology from Ukraine. He did not explain the nature of the alleged apology or provide any details to support the claim.
He also issued a warning over the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran would not accept any alternative maritime route other than its designated shipping lane.
Rezaei said Iran could target vessels that, in its view, use what it considers illegal routes through the strategic waterway.
The former military commander further claimed that Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent 17-day confrontation with the United States had disrupted US military plans and inflicted heavy losses on American forces.
He did not provide evidence to support those claims, and they could not be independently verified.
His remarks come days after Iran accused Ukraine on July 25 of targeting an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, an incident Tehran said killed one crew member.
Ukraine has not officially responded to Iran’s allegations. Rezaei’s latest claims have also not been independently verified.
Analysts say the escalating war of words between Iran and Ukraine could further complicate diplomatic relations, while Tehran’s comments on the Strait of Hormuz are likely to draw attention because of the waterway’s importance to global maritime trade.
