Iran on tanker attack: Maritime piracy won't be left unanswered

Iranian News Agency has reported that Iran on October 12 has warned that it will retaliate to the attack on an Iranian oil tanker which occurred on Friday. Iran secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, vowed not to let an attack on one of its oil tankers off the coast of Saudi Arabia go unanswered. The secretary further said that clues had been uncovered as to who was behind what he called a missile attack on the Sabiti tanker. He also mentioned maritime piracy and wickedness as an inferred reason for the attacks. 

Speaking about the investigation of the incident, Ali Shamkhani said that the security council is reviewing the video of the attack, gathering intelligence evidence and primary clues to the dangerous attack on the oil tanker in the Red Sea. He warned of disturbing risks for the global economy as a result of insecurity in international waterways. 

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Spokesman questions nations who blame Iran for violence

Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei called Friday's attack cowardly and said Iran would give a proportionate response following investigations. The spokesman also indirectly accused anonymous nations of the situation. He questioned the one who accused Iran of disrupting free maritime transport in the Persian Gulf. He also sought an answer from those who blamed Iran for Aramco attacks without any proof. Concluding his statement to the media he asked whether the same countries are ready to once again defend the principles of free maritime transportation in international waters and condemn such an attack on an Iranian ship

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Details of the attack on the tanker

The hull of the tanker was hit by two separate explosions on Friday off the Saudi port of Jeddah confirmed National Iranian Tanker Company, which owns the Sabiti. Yet the company denied any attack from Saudi Arabia. The NITC reported earlier that the incident has caused oil spill from the tanker into the Red Sea before it was eventually controlled and the vessel began slowly moving back towards Gulf waters. The last position of the tanker was located 400 kilometres away from the south point of Jeddah, reported Marine Traffic. 

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The attack is part of the series of attacks on shipping in and around the vital seaway to the Gulf involving Iran and Western powers, as well as drone attacks on Saudi oil plants. Though the US and Arabia blame Iran behind all the violence and attacks, the country denies such allegations. Aramco attacks form the centre of the recent controversies. The attack was claimed by Houthis who are supposedly funded by Iran. 

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(with agency inputs)