Dubai, June 14: Iran has on Friday said it holds the responsibility for maintaining the security of Hormuz Strait in the Gulf region, state-run radio reported, further adding it was alarming for Tehran to be blamed for recent attacks in the Gulf of Oman on two oil tankers.
According to Reuters news reports, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi was quoted as saying, “We are responsible for ensuring the security of the Strait and we have rescued the crew of those attacked tankers in the shortest possible time.”
He added, “Obviously, accusing Iran of such a suspicious and unfortunate incident is the simplest and the most convenient way for (U.S. Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and other U.S. officials. These accusations are alarming.”
However, it was immediately unclear what explosion has caused the crew members to abandon the ship and leave both Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair adrift in the sea between Iran and Gulf Arab states.
The blasts have followed the last month’s sabotage attacks over vessels off Fujairah emirate – one of the globe’s largest bunkering hubs. However, Tehran has distanced itself from those attacks.
On Thursday, the US military has released a video, stating it showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) trying to remove an unexploded mine from Japan-owned oil tanker’s side.