Iran considered launching an attack on Ukraine in response to the killing of an Iranian sailor on the Caspian Sea, but ultimately shelved the plan, the New York Times reports, citing sources in Iran and the West.
Any such attack would have potentially complicated and further entangled the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, with Iran already supplying Russia with attack drones and Russia providing Iran intel used to attack US bases, according to Ukraine.
The report cited officials who said Iran was expected to attack a Ukrainian seaport on the Black Sea. Other officials said an attack on Ukraine would have been a largely symbolic ballistic missile strike, with the goal of sending a message without sparking retaliation, the newspaper reports.
The plan was ultimately shelved amid diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Kyiv, as well as the EU, according to the report, which comes a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky held their first face-to-face meeting in years.
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