Top Security Official Shamkhani:
Attackers on Iran Tanker Will Regret Their Action
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on Wednesday said Iran will respond to an attack on its oil tanker in the Red Sea that will make those seeking to create a new wave of tension in the region regret their action.
Shamkhani made the announcement during a meeting with Russia's special envoy on Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Tehran where the two sides discussed the latest regional and international issues.
The Sabiti oil tanker, owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), was hit by two separate explosions about 60 miles from the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Friday. The blasts caused an oil spill that was stopped shortly afterwards.
The Port and Maritime Organization of Iran (PMO) has said the Sabiti came under attacks by two missiles fired from an unknown location.
Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said on Monday the attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea on Friday was a "complicated action” in which "one or more governments” were involved.
"According to information received, the attack on the Iranian tanker has been carried out by one or more governments. Of course, investigations are underway, but as long as we have not reached definitive conclusions, we will not accuse any government,” Zarif said.
President Hassan Rouhani said the incident had been captured on video, which showed the direction the rockets had been fired from.
Rouhani also said the attack was undoubtedly carried out by a government and that there would be consequences.
"Piracy and banditry in international waterways which is done with the aim of making commercial shipping insecure will not go unanswered," Shamkhani said on Saturday.
"By examining the available video images and information gathered from the incident, the main clues to this dangerous adventurism have been obtained," Press TV quoted him as saying.
On Wednesday, Shamkhani also warned of a secretive plan by the United States to revive the terrorist group of Daesh and foment insecurity in the regime.
The top security official underlined the need for regional countries to remain vigilant and adopt coordinated measures to prevent any plots that could create insecurity and instability in the region.
MP: Zionists, U.S., Saudi Arabia Behind Attack
A member of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of parliament said on Wednesday that footage proves last week's attack on an Iranian oil tanker was carried out by the U.S., the occupying regime of Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Abolfazl Hassanbeigi was quoted by Mehr news agency as saying that the evidence "will be taken to the UN and the Security Council so that the regimes behind this terrorist attack would pay for their action."
According to Hassanbeigi, "Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are trying to put the blame on Daesh or the Taliban for the attack, but the documents dismiss such a notion as no Daesh or Taliban terrorists are present in the Red Sea".
"A film shot by cameras installed on the tanker shows that the attack was carried out by the U.S., the Zionist regime and the Al Saud,” he said. "Certainly, this sinister triangle is trying to show that they can hit the Islamic Republic.”
Tensions are already high in the Red Sea shipping area, which links the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
It follows strikes on key Saudi oil installations in September and attacks on tankers in the Persian Gulf area in May and June.
Shamkhani made the announcement during a meeting with Russia's special envoy on Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Tehran where the two sides discussed the latest regional and international issues.
The Sabiti oil tanker, owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), was hit by two separate explosions about 60 miles from the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Friday. The blasts caused an oil spill that was stopped shortly afterwards.
The Port and Maritime Organization of Iran (PMO) has said the Sabiti came under attacks by two missiles fired from an unknown location.
Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said on Monday the attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea on Friday was a "complicated action” in which "one or more governments” were involved.
"According to information received, the attack on the Iranian tanker has been carried out by one or more governments. Of course, investigations are underway, but as long as we have not reached definitive conclusions, we will not accuse any government,” Zarif said.
President Hassan Rouhani said the incident had been captured on video, which showed the direction the rockets had been fired from.
Rouhani also said the attack was undoubtedly carried out by a government and that there would be consequences.
"Piracy and banditry in international waterways which is done with the aim of making commercial shipping insecure will not go unanswered," Shamkhani said on Saturday.
"By examining the available video images and information gathered from the incident, the main clues to this dangerous adventurism have been obtained," Press TV quoted him as saying.
On Wednesday, Shamkhani also warned of a secretive plan by the United States to revive the terrorist group of Daesh and foment insecurity in the regime.
The top security official underlined the need for regional countries to remain vigilant and adopt coordinated measures to prevent any plots that could create insecurity and instability in the region.
MP: Zionists, U.S., Saudi Arabia Behind Attack
A member of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of parliament said on Wednesday that footage proves last week's attack on an Iranian oil tanker was carried out by the U.S., the occupying regime of Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Abolfazl Hassanbeigi was quoted by Mehr news agency as saying that the evidence "will be taken to the UN and the Security Council so that the regimes behind this terrorist attack would pay for their action."
According to Hassanbeigi, "Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are trying to put the blame on Daesh or the Taliban for the attack, but the documents dismiss such a notion as no Daesh or Taliban terrorists are present in the Red Sea".
"A film shot by cameras installed on the tanker shows that the attack was carried out by the U.S., the Zionist regime and the Al Saud,” he said. "Certainly, this sinister triangle is trying to show that they can hit the Islamic Republic.”
Tensions are already high in the Red Sea shipping area, which links the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
It follows strikes on key Saudi oil installations in September and attacks on tankers in the Persian Gulf area in May and June.