ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Iran has demanded compensation from Ukraine over a deadly strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, rejecting Kyiv's assertion that the attack was accidental, CBS News reported on Monday.

One sailor was killed in the strike last month, which Ukraine later said had been carried out by mistake.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei disputed Kyiv's explanation on Monday, saying Tehran had not been persuaded that the vessel was unintentionally targeted.

"We still believe that we have not been convinced by the Ukrainian side's claim that this action was unintentional," Baghaei said, according to CBS News.

Baghaei said that because senior Ukrainian officials had acknowledged the attack took place, Tehran expected Kyiv to provide compensation.

In this handout image provided by ICANA, Mohammad Reza Bahrami (R) and Esmail Baghaei, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic during a meeting with Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Pakistan's Army Chief Syed Asim Munir on May 23; illustrative
In this handout image provided by ICANA, Mohammad Reza Bahrami (R) and Esmail Baghaei, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic during a meeting with Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Pakistan's Army Chief Syed Asim Munir on May 23; illustrative (credit: Hamed Malekpour - ICANA News Agency via Getty Images)

"They must certainly compensate us," he said, adding, "Naturally, if they do not compensate us, we will seek compensation ourselves."

Zelensky points to Iran's military support for Russia

Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had no intention of opening a "new front," while pointing to Iran's supply of attack drones to Russia.

Iran had "already attacked us," Zelensky said.