UAE wants ‘constructive policies’ from Tehran as US releases video of alleged Iranian role in ship attacks Iran did do it: Trump
DUBAI — Iran must come up with “constructive policies” to ease tensions in the region following recent attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE said on Friday as US President Donald Trump insisted Tehran was behind the blasts.
“Iran did do it,” Trump said of the latest attack on two tankers, in remarks on Friday morning to Fox & Friends.
Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said Tehran’s attempt at public relations in which it blames others will not work when it should act to end terror. “Every single day Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif’s reference to Team B becomes more farcical & his credibility diminishing. Public relations is no real substitute to constructive policies. De-escalation in current situation requires wise actions not empty words,” tweeted Dr Gargash.
Earlier, the US military released a video that showed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Tehran wanted to hide evidence of its alleged involvement.
@realDonaldTrump Every single day Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif’s reference to Team B becomes more farcical & his credibility diminishing. Public relations is no real substitute to constructive policies. Deescalation in current situation requires wise actions not empty words Dr Anwar Gargash @AnwarGargash
Kokuka Courageous
— Source: US Central Command
DUBAI — The US military released a video on Friday it said showed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Tehran wanted to hide evidence of its alleged involvement.
Iran denied any role in Thursday’s apparent attacks, which have again roiled the Arabian Gulf amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over the unraveling nuclear deal with world powers.
The black-and-white US video of the Iranians alongside the Japanese-owned tanker Kokuka Courageous came after its crew abandoned ship after seeing the undetonated explosive on its hull, said Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the US military’s Central Command. It separately shared photos of the vessel, which showed what appeared to be a conical limpet mine against its side.
In the video, the boat from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard pulls alongside Kokuka Courageous at 4.10pm on Thursday. The Iranians reach up and grab along where the limpet mine could be seen in the photo. They then sail away.
While Iran maintains it has nothing to do with the recent attacks, its leaders repeatedly have threatened to close the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil flows.
Analysts say Iran, if involved, wouldn’t want investigators to find an unexploded mine because they could check its serial numbers and other attributes to trace it.
“The US and the international community stand ready to defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation,” Urban said in a statement.
“The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests.”
In a statement from its UN mission, Iran accused the US of escalating tensions.
“The US economic war and terrorism against the Iranian people as well as its massive military presence in the region have been and continue to be the main sources of insecurity and instability in the wider Arabian Gulf region and the most significant threat to its peace and security,” the statement said. In Tokyo, the owner of the Kokuka Courageous said its sailors saw “flying objects” before the attack, suggesting it wasn’t damaged by mines. Company president Yutaka Katada offered no evidence for his claim, which contradicted the US military account.
Katada also said crew members saw an Iranian naval ship nearby, but did not specify whether this was before or after the attacks.
The suspected attacks occurred at dawn on Thursday about 40 kilometres off the southern coast of Iran. The Front Altair, loaded with naphtha from the United Arab Emirates, radioed for help as its cargo of flammable chemicals caught fire. The Kokuka Courageous, carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, called for help a short time later.
The US navy sent the USS Bainbridge, which picked up 21 sailors from the Kokuka Courageous, and they stayed overnight on the destroyer, returning to their vessel on Friday to help in it being towed.
It’s very important to know the truth. It’s very important that responsibilities are clarified
Antonio Guterres,
UN Secretary-General
You saw the boat at night, successfully trying to take the mine off — and that was exposed
Donald Trump,
US President
The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests Capt.
Bill Urban,
US Central Command spokesman
Japan adamantly condemns the act that threatened a Japanese ship, no matter who attacked
Shinzo Abe,
Japan’s Prime Minister
A war in the Gulf region of the Middle East is something that no one wants to see
Geng Shuang,
Chinese spokesman
What’s important now is to continue investigating the background of the incidents in depth
Ulrike Demmer,
German spokesman
Global slowdown fears and trade war risks have intensified which has led to the downward revision from IEA
Craig Erlam,
Senior market analyst
Iran isn’t weak, and neither is the US. All sides know that war will cost a lot. No one wants war, but does that mean we have peace? No
Adel Abdel Mahdi,
Iraq prime minister