Abdel Bari Atwan, the editor-in-chief of Rai al-Youm newspaper, described the US officials' allegations about Iran's involvement in attacks on vessels in Fujairah port are not valid as long as Washington fails to present reliable proof to corroborate its claims. RAN - "Why does US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who says that Iran is behind the attacks against the oil tankers in Fujairah, and claims to be in possession of relevant proof, not release them? Why has Bolton given up his mission to declare the results of the investigations into the case," Atwan asked sarcastically.
He said the US accusations against Iranian allies requires supportive evidence orelse they remain allegations.
Atwan also raised the possibility that the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, has been behind the attacks in Fujairah as a false-flag operation to blame Iran.
Iran has vehemently rejected any involvement in Fujairah attacks.
On Friday, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami said Iran has played no role in the recent sabotage attack on 4 oil tankers off the coast of the UAE, stressing that his country was strong enough to act in broad daylight.
"Iran is a powerful country. We do not need to hide anything. If we do something, we'll announce it publicly," Major General Salami said on Friday, categorically denying Iran's involvement in the vessel attacks in Fujairah port and rejecting allegations raised by the US and its Arab allies.
His remarks came in reaction to allegations by US National Security Advisor John Bolton and some Saudi and Emirati officials that the IRGC launched the attacks through its "proxies".
Speaking on the sidelines of the International Quds Day rallies in Tehran, General Salami said, "Iranians don't take the Arab states' anti-Iran stances and remarks seriously."
"Some primitive Arab regimes in the Persian Gulf are sidekicks of the US and under total control of Washington, and their comments and messages are not even worthy of any response," he added.
Opening a gathering of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Wednesday, the kingdom’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf blasted “Iranian interference in other nations' affairs” and urged "firmness and determination” over the recent mysterious attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Fujairah. He made the remarks just hours after Bolton alleged Tehran was almost certainly behind oil tanker attacks.
On Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi told RIA Novosti that the claims were "ludicrous", and accused Bolton and "other warmongers" of plotting against Iran.
Earlier in the day, the Iranian foreign ministry in similar remarks dismissed the accusation, and blamed Bolton and other members of the B-team for their anti-Tehran plots.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi rejected the allegations strongly, saying that they are the product of the "destructive plans and policies thought of by the B-team".
According to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s earlier tweets in April, the B-Team is made up by Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"Raising such ridiculous allegation in a meeting between two members of the (B-) team who have long-term anti-Iran approaches is not something strange," he added.
Mousavi addressed Bolton and other warmongers, stating that the strategic patience, high vigilance and full defense preparedness of the Islamic Republic of Iran will prevent materialization of their ominous plots for stirring chaos in the region.
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