Iran Disputes US Claims On Tanker Incidents

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi vehemently rejected claims by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who blamed Tehran for explosions hitting two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman, describing the incidents as “worrying and alarming”.

“Apparently, accusing Iran in the suspicious and unfortunate incident involving the tankers is the most convenient and simplistic thing to do for Mr. Pompeo and other American statesmen,” Mousavi said.

“While Japan’s prime minister is meeting with the number one figure of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reduce tensions, which clandestine hands seek to undermine these efforts in the region and who benefit from it?” he asked.

The Iranian spokesman further emphasized that Iran was the first country to come to help the vessels in distress and save their crew as quickly as possible.

“The responsibility for ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz is shouldered by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we have proven that we have been able to help the sailors of the crashed ships and rescue them as quickly as possible,” Mousavi stated.

“The suspicious nature of incidents for oil tankers is not a joke,” he said, adding, “It is not funny, but is also worrying and alarming.”

The remark came after Mike Pompeo offhandedly blamed Tehran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. 

On Thursday, the Iranian maritime rescue forces evacuated the crew of two large oil tankers hit by two successive blasts in the Sea of Oman.

A total of 44 sailors have been transferred to Iran’s port city of Jask in the southern province of Hormozgan.

The incident took place while Japan’s visiting prime minister was holding a meeting with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

Abe arrived in Tehran on Wednesday and became the first Japanese leader to visit Iran in more than 4 decades.