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Iran blames ‘Zionist regime,’ Saudi Arabia, US for oil tanker attack

Iran blamed Israel, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia for the attack and says there will be consequences. 

By World Israel News Staff

Iranian Member of Parliament Abolfazl Hassanbeigi, told Iran’s Mehr news agency that Israel, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia were to blame for last week’s missile attack on the Iranian oil tanker Sabiti off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.

Hassanbeigi, who is a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said “a video captured by cameras installed on the tanker show the attack was carried out by the U.S., the Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia.”

Hassanbeigi takes a step further comments made Tuesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said that the attack on the Iranian oil tanker on October 11 was the work of  one or possibly more states, but that Iran was not ready to assign blame.

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

The tanker Sabiti, owned by the National Iranian Oil Company, was struck 60 miles off the coast of Jeddah by two missiles.

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“The attack on the Iranian tanker was a sophisticated, state-sponsored action,” Zarif said.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani said there would be consequences.

PressTV reported on Tuesday that Iranian media published pictures of the Sabiti with two gaping holes in the hull.

The vessel was carrying 140,000 tons of crude oil, which was preserved after measures were taken to staunch the leak, reports the news site, quoting Mohammad Rastad, head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization.

The vessel is headed for an  Iranian port to undergo repairs.