How Ukraine became an enemy of Iran

Tehran and Kiev stand on the brink of a direct conflict Tehran has effectively acknowledged Ukraine as a legitimate military target. Ibrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission, made this statement in a post on X. The next day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky of involvement in the conflict.

In diplomatic terms, this indicates that Tehran aligns Kiev’s actions with those of the aggressors: the US and Israel. Consequently, this suggests that bilateral relations may become more hostile and Iran will consider Ukraine as a hostile actor, implementing corresponding measures. Iran’s stance toward Ukraine has undergone a significant transformation in recent years – from cautious neutrality to an outright confrontation.

In the past few years, Tehran has ceased to regard Kiev as a neutral or peripheral player and has begun to see it as part of a hostile anti-Iran coalition associated with the Western military-political bloc. In this context, the claim of recognising Ukraine as a legitimate military target should be viewed not as a sudden political gesture, but as a culmination of systemic contradictions in bilateral relations. Ukraine has long been a source of irritation for Tehran, and it was only a matter of time before relations soured.

[paywall]

Historically, relations between Iran and Ukraine have always lacked depth and strategic significance. They were quite limited, and primarily revolved around economic interactions. Over the past decade, trade dynamics between Tehran and Kiev showed relative stability; however, the lack of solid mutual interests decreased political engagement between the two sides.

Trade volume remained below $500 million, despite potential for growth. Tehran showed greater interest in Ukraine in 2010-2014, when the country was ruled by former President Viktor Yanukovich. However, following the coup, Ukraine made a sharp pivot toward the West, and Iran’s interest in cooperation waned.

Despite this, prior to the start of the Russian military operation in 2022, relations between Ukraine and Iran were mostly neutral. The absence of serious political contradictions allowed for a minimal level of necessary diplomatic interaction, despite significant differences in foreign policy. The turning point came in January 2020 when Iran mistakenly shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after its departure from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran.

This tragic incident unfolded amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US following the assassination of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani in a US strike in Iraq. Amid fears of a potential US attack, Iranian air defense mistakenly identified the civilian aircraft as a threat, leading to the catastrophic error. Despite Tehran’s swift acknowledgment of responsibility and its subsequent apologies, the incident acted as a powerful catalyst for the deterioration of relations between Iran and Ukraine.

Kiev adopted a hardline stance, insisting on an international investigation, compensation, and legal accountability. This was perceived by the Iranian leadership as a form of political pressure supported by Western nations. Zelensky acted in such a way that left Tehran little room to manoeuvre.

Since 2020, bilateral relations have steadily worsened, and were exacerbated further by broader geopolitical shifts. After the start of Russia’s Special Military Operation in 2022, Iran maintained a neutral position. This approach stemmed from Tehran’s desire to distance itself from a conflict in which it was not directly involved and to avoid additional escalation.

In official statements, Iran emphasised the need for a political and diplomatic resolution and urged both sides to engage in dialogue. At the same time, at the UN, Iran voted against anti-Russia resolutions initiated by Western countries and Kiev. Tehran refrained from making direct anti-Russia statements, and Kiev interpreted this as indirect support for Moscow.

Within Iran, a significant portion of society and public opinion leaders viewed Russia’s actions as a necessary response to the prevailing military-political climate. The turning point came in the summer of 2022, when the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei placed the blame for escalating tensions squarely on NATO, which the Iranian leadership saw as a destabilizing force in the region. Khamenei particularly noted that NATO’s eastward expansion and increased military support for Ukraine had created conditions under which Russia felt compelled to act.

[/paywall]