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Explosions of two oilmen in the Gulf of Oman have increased tensions between the United States and Iran, Washington accusing Tehran of having "attacked". Iran rejected these accusations as "groundless". China has called for restraint on both sides.
"According to the badessment of the United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for these attacks," US State Secretary Mike Pompeo told reporters.
The Tehran Foreign Ministry reacted on Friday by calling the US accusations "unfounded". Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the United States of "immediately jumping to make allegations … without any factual or circumstantial evidence".
The US Army Central Command on Friday released black and white footage showing that Iran 's Revolutionary Guards were removing an unexploded mine from one of the targeted tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The two tankers, one Norwegian and the other Japanese, caught fire on Thursday in the Oman Sea, off the Iranian coast, resulting in escalating tensions in the region and a soaring world oil prices.
Confusion about the rescue
The Japanese ship operator Kokuka Courageous said that the sailors aboard the tanker saw "flying objects" just before the attack, suggesting that the ship was not damaged by mines .
The US Navy has rushed to help the distressed ships in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, an essential shipping lane for the transport of oil between Iran and New Caledonia. the Arabian Peninsula, one of which was set on fire Thursday by an explosion.
Video footage published by the US Army Central Command appeared to show a mine of limpets on the Kokuka Courageous ship being removed by a patrol boat from the Revolutionary Guard.
"The United States and the international community are ready to defend our interests, including freedom of navigation," said Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban. "The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East, but we will defend our interests," said Urban.
Iran's national TV channel Press TV broadcast its own images of crew members rescued from one of the two seemingly healthy tankers.
"This video refutes the false information of some media, claiming that Iran avoided helping the sailors working on the ship," said Press TV, without specifying what it was all about.
& # 39; US aggression & # 39;
Thousands of kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz in Kyrgyzstan, Iranian President Hbadan Rouhani remained silent about alleged attacks.
At a security-led summit of China, including Russia and India, Rouhani avoided mentioning events in the Oman Sea, but focused his criticism on the withdrawal of US President Donald Trump of the 2015 nuclear deal last year.
"The US government has violated all international structures and rules and used its economic, financial and military resources over the last two years, has adopted an aggressive approach and represents a serious risk to stability in the region and the world", Rouhani said. in the translated comments.
Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if the United States tries to strangle its economy with sanctions.
Climbing
Thursday's incidents took place a month after four oil tankers – two Saudi, one Norwegian and one Emirati – were damaged during unexplained attacks off the nearby port of Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates.
"The attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman is a … dangerous escalation," tweeted UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash after the blasts.
"The responsibility to avoid escalation is collective," he said.
China on Friday expressed concern, urging both parties to exercise restraint.
"We hope that all concerned parties can properly resolve their differences and the conflict through dialogue and consultations," said Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, urging all parties to "avoid a new escalation of tension ".
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