Iran
This Jan. 2, 2016 photo shows the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street off Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Johan Victor/ AP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran on Sunday denied involvement in an attack on an Israeli-managed petroleum tanker off the coast of Oman, after Israel accused the Islamic Republic of its involvement.
"The Zionist regime (Israel) has created insecurity, terror and violence...These accusations about Iran's involvement are condemned by Tehran," Reuters reports Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh telling a weekly news conference streamed online.
"Such accusations are meant by Israel to divert attention from facts and are baseless," he added.
Two people were killed on Thursday when a ship managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime was attacked off the coast of Oman. The company described the incident as “suspected piracy”, according to Reuters.
Rivals Iran and Israel have accused each other of being behind several attacks in recent months. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the Thursday attack deserves a tough response.
"Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terrorism, destruction and instability that harms us all. The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terrorism that also harms freedom of shipping," Lapid said in a statement, according to Reuters.
"The Zionist regime (Israel) has created insecurity, terror and violence...These accusations about Iran's involvement are condemned by Tehran," Reuters reports Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh telling a weekly news conference streamed online.
"Such accusations are meant by Israel to divert attention from facts and are baseless," he added.
Two people were killed on Thursday when a ship managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime was attacked off the coast of Oman. The company described the incident as “suspected piracy”, according to Reuters.
Rivals Iran and Israel have accused each other of being behind several attacks in recent months. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the Thursday attack deserves a tough response.
"Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terrorism, destruction and instability that harms us all. The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terrorism that also harms freedom of shipping," Lapid said in a statement, according to Reuters.
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