Iran to Send Evidence on Oil Tanker Attack to UN, MP Says

TEHRAN (defapress) – A senior Iranian parliamentarian said the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia were behind a recent attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea, adding that the gathered evidence on the attack is planned to be sent to the United Nations.

News ID: 78995

Date: 16 October 2019 - 21:54

Speaking to the Persian-language Mehr news agency, Abolfazl Hassanbeigi, a member of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said, “A film shot by cameras installed on the tanker shows that the attack was carried out by the US, the Zionist regime and Al Saud.”

“Certainly, the sinister triangle (the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia) were trying to show that they can hit the Islamic Republic,” he added.

“There is a lot of evidence about the involvement of some governments in the attack on the Iranian oil tanker, which will be presented to the United Nations and the UN Security Council,” the MP stated.

Definitely, the countries that had a role in the attack should pay the cost of their action, he went on to say.

The Iranian oil tanker Sabiti was hit by two suspected rockets on Friday off the coast of Saudi Arabia. It was 60 miles (97km) from the Saudi port city of Jeddah when the incident took place.

On Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Tehran has found clues as to what happened recently to the oil tanker off the coast of Saudi Arabia, adding that the clues have been shared with Pakistan.

“It is an absolute mistake for a country to think that it could create insecurity in the region without receiving a response,” Rouhani warned.

In comments on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said Tehran has gained information confirming that the attack on Sabiti was carried out by a state or a number of states.

“The attack on the Iranian oil tanker has been a complicated measure… and was a state-sponsored action,” Zarif said.

Friday’s incident came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia after attacks by Yemeni forces on the kingdom’s oil facilities, with Washington and Riyadh claiming Iran was behind them.

The Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah movement immediately took credit for the attacks, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo swiftly accused Iran of being behind the assault, without providing any evidence. Tehran categorically rejected the allegations.

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