Iran summons Ukraine’s envoy over drone attack comments | Russia-Ukraine war News
The move comes after Zelenskyi’s adviser appeared to directly link Ukraine to an attack on a military facility in central Iran.
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s foreign ministry has subpoenaed Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in the country over statements by a senior presidential aide that appeared to link a recent drone strike in central Iran to the war in Ukraine.
The envoy was called on Monday to make statements on a Twitter post by Mykhailo Podolyak a day earlier, according to Nournews, a newspaper affiliated with Iran’s National Security Council.
“Explosive night in Iran – drone and missile production, oil refineries,” Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on Sunday, adding that Ukraine “warned you”.
Other Ukrainian officials have yet to publicly expand on his comments.
War logic is unrelenting and murderous. It strictly accounts for the authors & accomplices.
Panic in RF – endless mobilization, missile defense in Moscow, trenches 1000 km away, preparation of air raid shelters.
Explosion night in Iran – drone and missile production, oil refineries.
🇺🇦 warned you
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 29, 2023
The tweet came shortly after a military factory in Isfahan was attacked by three quadrocopters armed with explosives.
The Department of Defense, which operates the site, said the attack was foiled, with only minor damage to the facility’s roof. State media released footage showing the remains of the drones, one of which appeared to be trapped in a mesh net installed on top of the facility as a defensive measure.
The Wall Street Journal on Sunday quoted unnamed US officials and people familiar with the strike as saying Israel was behind the drone strike. Israel has not officially commented.
There were several other incidents in other regions of Iran on the night of the drone strike, including a fire at a large industrial complex in the northwest of the country. Authorities have not officially linked the incidents.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday slammed the drone attack as “cowardly” and said it was aimed at endangering the country’s security.
Iran has not officially blamed Israel for the attack, but has previously been the target of many suspected Israeli attacks amid a shadow war with its nemesis. Israel has threatened large-scale strikes as efforts to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have stalled with world powers.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and Western countries have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying Russia with attack drones used in the war in Ukraine and imposed several rounds of sanctions on it. Iran has admitted to supplying a “limited” number of drones to Russia, but said that was before the war began in February last year.
