London, June 15: The United Kingdom (UK) has on Friday accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of implementing the recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The UK foreign office issued a statement, which read, “It is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military – the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – attacked the two tankers on 13 June. No other state or non-state actor plausibly have been responsible.”
Two oil tankers – the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous and Marshal Islands-flagged Front Altair – were on Thursday attacked around the Strait of Hormuz. Following which, the United States claimed Iran should be held accountable for the oil attacks, a statement which Tehran has denounced earlier today.
In order to prove its claim, Washington released a video which was blurrily showing the boat crew of the IRGC removing unexploded mine from the side of the oil tankers shortly after the attack.
The UK foreign office statement further claimed Tehran to be held accountable for its attack over four oil tankers off the Fujairah port last month, according to ANI news reports.
The statement added, “The Emirati-led investigation of the 12 May attack on four oil tankers near the port of Fujairah concluded that it was conducted by a sophisticated state actor. We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack.”
Russia, an ally of Iran, warned against “hasty conclusions” over yesterday’s incident in the Gulf or blaming Iran for the suspected attacks, according to RIA-Novosti.
Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “I would use this opportunity to warn against hasty conclusions, from any attempts to impose responsibility on those who are seen as undesirable.”