Tensions in the Red Sea: they attacked an Iranian cargo ship designated as the base of the Revolutionary Guards

An Iranian freighter that is believed to have served as a base for the Revolutionary Guards and anchored in the Red Sea near Yemen for years has been attacked., Tehran confirmed on Wednesday.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the attack on the MV Saviz, what is suspected it could be the work of Israel. The incident happened the same week that Iran and several international powers gathered in Vienna for the first talks on the possible return of the United States to the victims. nuclear deal with Tehran, and showed that future challenges do not depend solely on these negotiations.

The vessel’s continued presence in the area, criticized on several occasions by Saudi Arabia, coincided with accusations of experts from the United Nations and the West that Iran has lent arms and support to the Houthi rebels in the war in Yemen.

Iran had previously said the ship was participating in “anti-piracy” efforts in the Red Sea. and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial step for international maritime traffic.

A statement attributed to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saeed Khatibzadeh describes the ship as a commercial vessel.

“Fortunately, no victim has been reported (…) and technical investigations are underwaySaid Khatibzadeh. “Our country will take all necessary measures through the international authorities.”

the New York Times presented the facts following a Israeli action in retaliation for recent Iranian attacks on Israeli ships. The newspaper cited a anonymous source in the United States and said Israel informed the United States that it attacked the ship on Tuesday morning. Israeli authorities and the owner of the Saviz declined to comment on the incident.

However, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, mentioned Iran in a discussion with his party Likud after being tasked with forming a government after the recent elections in his country.

“We must not go back to the dangerous nuclear deal with Iran, because a nuclear Iran is an existential threat to the State of Israel and a great threat to the security of the whole world.”Netanyahu says.

Asked about the incident, the Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, said on Wednesday that Israel will take military action “wherever there is a threat”, although he did not refer directly to the Iranian ship.

Iranian semi-official agency Tasnim, who is believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported the attack on Tuesday evening and said The explosives placed in the hull of the Saviz had exploded. He didn’t attribute the attack to anyone and said Iranian authorities would likely release more information in the coming days.

U.S. Army Central Command said in a statement it was “Aware of media reports of an incident involving the Saviz in the Red Sea.”

“We can confirm that no American force was involved in the incident”says the command. “We have no further information to provide.”

The Saviz, owned by the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, reached the Red Sea in late 2016, according to vessel monitoring data. Since stood in front of the Dahlak archipelago, a chain of islands off the coast of the African nation of Eritrea. He recently received supplies and a refueling team from Iranian ships.

Saudi Army documents to which you have had access The Associated Press shown men on the boat in camouflage and military-style overalls, as well as small boats capable of carrying goods to the Yemeni coast. Those documents included images showing various antennas on the ship, which the Saudi government described as unusual for a commercial freighter, suggesting it was carrying out electronic surveillance.

The Washington Institute for Near-East Policy described the ship as a “Iranian mothership” in the region, he also described it as an intelligence base and an arsenal for the Guard. The think tank’s documents do not explain how it came to this conclusion, although its analysts often have access to Israeli military sources and those from other Persian Gulf countries.

(With AP information)

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