Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami rejected as unfounded US accusations against Iran on recent tanker attacks, saying that Iran considers the security of waterways as its own security.
Talking to reporters after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting in Tehran, Hatami strongly rejected US claims, highlighting that all efforts by the Iranian Armed Forces dare aimed at establishing peace in the region.
Two oil tankers, one owned by Norway and the other by Japan, were struck by blasts in the Sea of Oman on Thursday. The US was quick to point the finger of blame at the Islamic Republic, a month after it accused Tehran of involvement in attacks that crippled four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. US president Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran was behind Thursday’s blasts without providing evidence to back up his claim.
Hatami went on to say that Iran is a strong and law-abiding country and will take responsibility for its actions, Mehr news agency reported.
“These allegations are the continuation of US efforts against the Iranian Armed Forces who play a major role in ensuring security in the region and international waterways.”
“Another important point is that US has not made any direct military intervention in the past 10 years; rather, they have used proxy groups such as ISIL to attain their goals,” said the defense minister.
He added that what happened in the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and the port of Fujairah were very similar, “in terms of its management and type, to the US behaviors which are aimed at creating insecurity in waterways to serve their own interests.”
Pointing to a video published by the US which accuses Iran of conducting the attacks, Hatami said that neither the date nor the place of capturing the video is clear and it cannot be verified.
“When Iranian ships were dispatched to the place to conduct rescue operations, US had the opportunity to capture the video and show them in a way that they like,” he noted, adding, “such videos don’t carry any authenticity.”
He further described the current situation as ‘complex’, calling on all to follow it with careful attention.
Source: Iranian media
