Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, responded on Wednesday to a report on Israel’s Kan 11 News that Israel collected information identifying Iran as responsible for sabotaging vessels off the United Arab Emirates near the Strait of Hormuz last month.
“The #B_Team's boy who cries wolf is crying once again: this time Mossad is fabricating intelligence about Iran's involvement in sabotage in Fujairah. I've warned of ‘accidents’ and false flags—we know what happens when you believe their lies. We've been here before, haven't we?” he tweeted.
The Saudi Energy Minister said that two of the ships that were attacked were Saudi oil tankers that were en route to the United States.
An American military team assessing the blasts that damaged the four commercial ships blamed Iran or Iranian-backed proxies using explosive charges.
The tanker attack came amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, after the US military deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move that US officials said was made to counter “clear indications” of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.
While President Donald Trump has urged Iran’s leaders to talk with him about giving up their nuclear program, he has also made clear he could not rule out a military confrontation with the Islamic Republic.
So far, Iranian leaders have rejected talks with the Trump administration. President Hassan Rouhani said recently that he favors talks and diplomacy but not under current conditions.