Iran denies ‘baseless’ Israeli claim it attacked ship
Aug 2, 2021 16:21:34 GMT -5
Post by shalom on Aug 2, 2021 16:21:34 GMT -5
Iran denies ‘baseless’ Israeli claim it struck ship in deadly attack
But PM Bennett says there’s no doubt Tehran is behind strike that killed 2 people, claims intelligence materials prove it
By TOI STAFF and AGENCIES
1 August 2021, 12:09 pm
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday blamed Iran for a drone attack on an Israeli-operated oil tanker off the coast of Oman that killed two people, as Tehran denied responsibility and dismissed the claim as “baseless.”
Two ship crewmen, a British and a Romanian national, died in Thursday night’s attack off the coast of Oman on the oil tanker Mercer Street, a ship operated by Zodiac Maritime, a London-based company belonging to Israeli tycoon Eyal Ofer.
Israeli and American officials have said it was apparently carried out by suicide drones that hit the ship.
It marked the first-known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions with Iran over its tattered nuclear deal.
“I now hear that Iran, in a cowardly way, is trying to evade responsibility for the incident. They’re denying it,” said Bennett at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. “I say this definitively: Iran is behind the attack on the boat.”
Bennett said, “The intelligence materials proving [Iran’s involvement] exist and we expect the international community to make it clear to Iran that they made a grave mistake. We, in any case, know how to convey this message to Iran in our own ways.”
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visits at ‘Migdal Nofim’ retirement home in Jerusalem, July 27, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
“Iran’s bullying is dangerous not only for Israel, but also hurts global interests, such as the freedom of maritime movement and global trade,” added the prime minister.
Bennett’s comment came after Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as his British and Romanian counterparts, to coordinate an international response to the attack.
Blinken and Lapid agreed to work with other allies “to investigate the facts, provide support, and consider the appropriate next steps,” according to a US State Department statement.
Iran on Sunday denied any involvement and rejected Israel’s “blame games.”
The comment by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh marked the first official comments on the attack from Tehran, which will see a new president inaugurated Thursday.
Khatibzadeh described the allegation that Iran carried out the attack as “baseless.”
Continued at link
But PM Bennett says there’s no doubt Tehran is behind strike that killed 2 people, claims intelligence materials prove it
By TOI STAFF and AGENCIES
1 August 2021, 12:09 pm
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday blamed Iran for a drone attack on an Israeli-operated oil tanker off the coast of Oman that killed two people, as Tehran denied responsibility and dismissed the claim as “baseless.”
Two ship crewmen, a British and a Romanian national, died in Thursday night’s attack off the coast of Oman on the oil tanker Mercer Street, a ship operated by Zodiac Maritime, a London-based company belonging to Israeli tycoon Eyal Ofer.
Israeli and American officials have said it was apparently carried out by suicide drones that hit the ship.
It marked the first-known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions with Iran over its tattered nuclear deal.
“I now hear that Iran, in a cowardly way, is trying to evade responsibility for the incident. They’re denying it,” said Bennett at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. “I say this definitively: Iran is behind the attack on the boat.”
Bennett said, “The intelligence materials proving [Iran’s involvement] exist and we expect the international community to make it clear to Iran that they made a grave mistake. We, in any case, know how to convey this message to Iran in our own ways.”
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visits at ‘Migdal Nofim’ retirement home in Jerusalem, July 27, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
“Iran’s bullying is dangerous not only for Israel, but also hurts global interests, such as the freedom of maritime movement and global trade,” added the prime minister.
Bennett’s comment came after Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as his British and Romanian counterparts, to coordinate an international response to the attack.
Blinken and Lapid agreed to work with other allies “to investigate the facts, provide support, and consider the appropriate next steps,” according to a US State Department statement.
Iran on Sunday denied any involvement and rejected Israel’s “blame games.”
The comment by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh marked the first official comments on the attack from Tehran, which will see a new president inaugurated Thursday.
Khatibzadeh described the allegation that Iran carried out the attack as “baseless.”
Continued at link