Iranian official: Iran will not let ‘attack’ on its tanker go ‘unanswered’

Iranian official: Iran will not let ‘attack’ on its tanker go ‘unanswered’
October 12, 2019, 9:01 am

Iran will not let the Friday “attack” on its tanker in the Red Sea go “unanswered,” said the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani. (File photo AFP)

Iran will not let the Friday “attack” on its tanker in the Red Sea go “unanswered,” said the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, adding that Iran has obtained the “main” clues to this “attack,” reported the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Saturday.

Shamkhani referred to the “attack” on the Iranian tanker as “maritime piracy” and “mischief” in international waters.

The aim behind such an “attack” is to create insecurity for the movement of commercial vessels, he claimed, warning that Iran will not let this “attack” go “unanswered.”

A special committee has been formed to investigate the “attack,” said Shamkhani, adding that this committee will soon present its report to the relevant authorities to make a decision.

“By reviewing existing footage and intelligence gathered, the main clues to this dangerous adventure have been uncovered,” he said.

An Iranian tanker was allegedly struck by an explosion on Friday 60 miles from the Saudi port city of Jeddah, the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported. The vessel is owned by Iran’s state-owned National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC).

Iranian media had previously said that the explosions were the result of missiles. A spokesman for the company initially suggested that the missiles may have come from the direction of Saudi Arabia. However, the company later withdrew that claim in a formal statement.

The company also denied the Iranian foreign ministry's statement that the alleged missiles had come from Saudi Arabia.

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