- March 4, 2026
- 2:01 pm
- World News
Ukraine refused to express condolences over the death of the Iranian ayatollah, pointing to Tehran’s direct role in supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. The reason was an official notification from the Iranian embassy about the opening of a book of condolences. The response from the Ukrainian side was harsh and politically unequivocal.
The story quickly went beyond the usual diplomatic protocol and became another episode of the international conflict surrounding the war in Ukraine.
The material was prepared taking into account the political context of the war, the relations between Iran and Russia, as well as the reaction of Ukrainian diplomats on the international stage.
Why Ukraine refused to express condolences to Iran
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa sent an official message to the Ukrainian side that a book of condolences for the deceased ayatollah and his associates had been opened. In diplomatic practice, such notifications are often sent to all accredited missions.
However, the Ukrainian side responded with a refusal.
The reaction was reported by the Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa, Oleksandr Scherba, on March 4, 2026.
According to him, Ukraine cannot express sorrow for the leader of a state that helps Russia wage war against the Ukrainian people.
The ambassador reminded that Iran remains one of Moscow’s key military partners in the current conflict.
It is Iranian technologies and drones, primarily Shahed drones, that are regularly used for attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.
Statement of the Ukrainian ambassador
In his response, the diplomat emphasized that the leadership of Iran bears moral responsibility for the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian citizens.
According to Scherba, it is not only about military assistance to Russia but also about political support that intensifies the war.
“The leaders of Iran have stained themselves with the blood of thousands of Ukrainian citizens — men and women, children and the elderly, killed with the help of the infamous Iranian Shahed drones and other military technologies that your regime supplied to Russia,” the diplomat’s response reads.
He noted that the Iranian authorities have effectively become accomplices in the tragedy of the peaceful population of Ukraine.
Personal position of the diplomat and the moral aspect of the war
At the same time, the Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that his reaction was not dictated by personal hatred.
Scherba noted that as a believer, he tries not to rejoice in the death of others — even those who consciously supported policies directed against his people.
However, three years of living under constant attacks by Iranian drones in Kyiv, he said, change the perception of what is happening.
Residents of the Ukrainian capital regularly hear night sirens and the sound of drones, which have become a symbol of the war.
Therefore, the diplomat added, it is natural to wish that everyone responsible for these attacks be held accountable.
“If not before people — then before God,” he noted.
Diplomacy without personal accusations
Separately, the ambassador emphasized that he is not personally acquainted with the Iranian ambassador and does not feel personal animosity towards him.
According to him, in diplomacy, it often happens that professional diplomats are forced to represent the policies of leaders with whom they may not agree.
Nevertheless, he made it clear that Ukraine will not participate in mourning events related to the leaders of a country whose policies contribute to the war against the Ukrainian state.
“Sometimes good diplomats have to represent bad leaders and their policies,” he noted.
But he emphasized: he will not express sorrow for people whose death does not cause him grief.
In international practice, such responses are considered rare, as diplomats usually avoid direct formulations.
Nevertheless, Russia’s war against Ukraine has changed the diplomatic language of many countries.
This is what analysts and international observers, including Israeli media and the editorial office of NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, are increasingly writing about, noting that the conflict is gradually restructuring the usual rules of international relations.
Today, diplomacy increasingly reflects not only protocol but also the real lines of geopolitical confrontation.
For Ukraine, this means directly identifying Russia’s allies as parties involved in the war — even if they are not formally on the front line.
Iran occupies one of the key places on this list.
Full text
“Mr. Ambassador,
Since you officially informed about the book of condolences in memory of Ayatollah Khamenei and the military leadership of Iran, I consider it necessary to remind you of the following.
As military allies of the Russian Federation, the leaders of Iran have stained themselves with the blood of thousands of Ukrainian citizens — men and women, children and the elderly — killed with the help of the infamous Iranian Shahed drones and other military technology that your government so willingly supplied to Russia. Your leaders were accomplices in the endless grief experienced by Ukrainian civilians.
As a believer, I try not to rejoice in the death of others — even those who consciously decided to be tormentors of my people, who did nothing wrong. But as a person who lived in Kyiv for three years under the daily howling of Iranian machines of death, I cannot but wish that every criminal gets what they deserve for what they have done. If not before people, then before God.
Mr. Ambassador, I am not acquainted with you and have no personal animosity towards you. Sometimes good diplomats have to represent bad leaders and their policies. But I hope you understand that I will not express sorrow for people whose death does not cause me grief.
Sincerely,
Dr. Oleksandr Scherba
Ambassador”