Iranian MP blames Israel, U.S., Saudis for tanker attack

Abolfazl Hassanbeigi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, blamed Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia for a missile attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea last week.

The MP told the Iranian Mehr news agency that “a video captured by cameras installed on the tanker show the attack was carried out by the US, the Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia.”

The Sabiti tanker, owned by the National Iranian Oil Company, was hit by two missiles in the Red Sea in the waters off Saudi Arabia on Friday, leading to an oil leak.

“Saudi Arabia and the US are trying to put the blame on [ISIS] or the Taliban for the attack, but the documents dismiss such a notion as no [ISIS] or Taliban terrorists are present in the Red Sea,” said Hassanbeigi, adding that ISIS and the Taliban were created and sponsored by Saudi Arabia and Israel in any case.

Hassanbeigi stated that Iran will bringing evidence from their investigation into the attack to the United Nations and the UN Security Council.

“There are many documents and pieces of evidence pertaining to the involvement of some governments in the attack on the Iranian oil tanker,” said the MP. “These documents will be taken to the UN and the Security Council so that those countries behind this terrorist attack would pay for their action.”

Both Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani said that the attack was carried out by one or more foreign countries.

“For sure, a regime assisted by certain states has carried out this [attack], and we are studying the incident to see what has happened,” said Rouhani, according to the Iranian Fars news agency.

The Iranian president said that they had a video showing “a number of missiles” fired at the tanker, with two hitting the tanker itself, according to the Iranian IRNA news agency. The video, taken from a camera on the tanker itself, show where the rockets were fired from and from what angle.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated that the attack was not carried out by one person or one group, but rather a government, adding that any country that carried out the attack should expect consequences.

“According to information received, the attack on the Iranian tanker has been carried out by one or more governments,” said Zarif. “Of course, investigations are underway, but as long as we have not reached definitive conclusions, we will not accuse any government.”