US warns airliners to keep off Persian Gulf amid tensions

DUBAI/TEHRAN: US diplomats warned on Saturday that commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf faced a risk of being “misidentified” amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran.

The warning relayed by US diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration underlined the risks the current tensions pose to a region crucial to global air travel. It came as Lloyd’s of London warned of increasing risks to maritime shipping in the region.

Concerns about a war have flared since the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter an unexplained threat from Iran that has seen America order non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq.

US President Donald Trump since has sought to soften his tone on the stand-off.

Meanwhile, authorities allege that a sabotage operation targeted four oil tankers off the coast of the UAE, and Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. Riyadh blamed Iran for the drone assault, and a local newspaper linked to al-saud royal family called on Thursday for America to launch “surgical strikes” on Tehran. This takes root in Trump’s decision last year to withdraw the US from the 2015 nuclear accord.

ZARIF PLAYS DOWN PROSPECT OF WAR

Iran’s foreign minister on Saturday discounted the prospect of a new war in the region because Tehran opposed it and no party was under the “illusion” the Tehran could be confronted.

“We are certain... there will not be a war,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said.