Explained: How the Caspian Sea could bring the Ukraine and Iran wars together
As the world continues to witness two wars rage on, now it seems like a common flashpoint is developing between parties from the two wars
As the world continues to witness two wars rage on, now it seems like a common flashpoint is developing between parties from the two wars, and thus connecting the two conflicts in an unlikely manner. The flashpoint? The largest lake in the world - Caspian Sea. Last week, Iran summoned its Ukraine's chargé d'affaires over an attack Kyiv had carried out in the Caspian Sea that targetted an Iranian vessel, killing one sailor. The Caspian Sea is proving to be a vital artery between Russia and Tehran as the two war-torn countries try to strengthen their relationship amid strict sanctions from the West, Ukraine last week revealed that it had struck two boats in the Caspian Sea, with both of them having left Iran and headed for a port in Russia.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky himself said in a post on X that the targets included “ships that were involved in transporting military cargo from Iran, as well as a warship,” which was later identified as a Russian missile boat. Iran, on the other hand, said that a boat carrying a cargo of iron was struck by Kyiv, which resulted in one death and three injuries. It also said that the boat was sailing from the Russian port of Astrakhan to Iran's Anzali, and not the other way round. On Monday, a foreign ministry spokesperson from Tehran said, "Ukraine’s dangerous adventurism will certainly not go unanswered by us," thus raising fears of whether the two separate wars might collide in the near future if Kyiv continues attacks on ships in the Caspian Sea.
Why is the Caspian Sea important for Iran and Russia? The Caspian sea is bordered by five countries, namely, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. With growing western sanctions against them, both Russia and Iran are now dependent on the Caspian Sea as a crucial trade route. The situation is dire for Iran because of the US blockade in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The Caspian Sea can help Iran by allowing it to operate “a diversified trade strategy, especially if Iran promotes trade with Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, China via rail, and, indirectly, Eastern Europe,” as per Bijan Khajehpour, managing partner of Vienna-based Eurasian Nexus Partners, who spoke to CNN on the issue. It is “a strategic complement rather than a substitute for Iran’s existing maritime access through the southern waters,” he added.
Also Read | Russia accuses Ukraine of killing at least 12 civilians in occupied Zaporizhzhia It was the Caspian Sea which was used to supply Moscow with Iranian Shahed attack drones during the early days of its war with Ukraine. A 2024 report by CNN had revealed that there was reason to suspect a Russian cargo was carrying ballistic missiles from Iran to be used in the Ukraine war, and that this ship was seen in a Russian port situated on the Caspian Sea.
The BriefWire