Spokesman Condemns Targeting Iran’s Oil Tanker in Red Sea

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi on Friday condemned an attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea.

News ID: 447466

Date: 12 October 2019 - 16:53

RNA - “Those behind this dangerous adventurism are responsible for the consequences of such act,” Mousavi said in reaction to two blasts hitting the Iranian SABITI oil tanker earlier on Friday.

He noted that investigations indicate that the SABITI oil tanker was targeted two times in a half an hour interval from Eastern Red Sea, he said, adding that fortunately crew on board are safe and sound and the situation is under control.

“Some other destructive measures have been taken place against the Iranian oil tankers in the Red Sea over the past several months and investigations on those involved in these attacks are underway,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman added.

Expressing concern over the pollution caused due to oil spill in the Red Sea, Mousavi said that all responsibilities caused by this measure, including severe environmental pollution of the regions lie on those responsible for this dangerous adventurism.

The oil tanker named SABITI belonging to the NITC sustained damage to the body when it was hit by two missiles 60 miles from the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

A statement by NITC said the SABITI tanker was hit by two separate explosions at 5:00 and 5:20 am Friday, probably after being struck by missiles, Iran's Persian-language media reported.

The incident took place some 60 miles from Jeddah early Friday.

The explosions have reportedly hit the vessel’s hull, causing heavy damages to the vessel’s two main tanks, which has resulted in an oil spill in the Red Sea. The spill has currently stopped, according to officials.

It said the crew members are currently safe and none of them has been harmed in the explosions. The tanker is currently in a stable condition, the statement added.

The NITC later dismissed the reports that the vessel has caught fire, according to the Iranian oil ministry.

The explosions came a few months after Iranian oil tanker Happiness-1 faced “engine failure” and lost its control with 26 on board off the Red Sea port of Jeddah, and was later transferred to the port city for maintenance.

According to Iranian officials, the incident had occurred on April 30 while Happiness I was on its way to the Suez Canal, and that water had leaked into the tanker’s engine room.

The Saudis refused to let the vessel leave and demanded that Iran pay $200,000 a day for maintaining the vessel in the port, some $10 million in total. It was finally released on July 20 and returned home.

Also in June, two large tankers were hit by explosions in the Sea of Oman. The Marshal Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous were hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

At that time, Iranian rescue workers rushed to the assistance of two tankers hit by the unspecified accidents in the Sea of Oman, transferring all of their 44 crew members to its southern shores.

According to Fars News Agency, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was, according to reports, heading from Qatar to Taiwan when a fire broke out on the tanker approximately 25 miles from Iran’s Jask port city.

The Panama-flagged ship was also en route from a port in Saudi Arabia towards Singapore when a fire broke out approximately 28 miles from Jask.

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