Page 15 - DMEA Week 44

DMEA
neWs in brieF
DMEA
Iran claims two more
tankers attacked in Red Sea
over past six months
Iran claimed two more attacks targeted its oil targets over the past six months, besides the widely-covered incident with the sabiti vessel in October, the Wall street Journal reported on Wednesday.
On October 11, Tehran said its oil tanker was hit by missiles off the saudi shoreline, with the attack causing a brief oil spill.
In a letter to the International Maritime Organization dated October 30, seen by the newspaper, the Iranian government warned that the Red sea shipping route may not be safe, citing two other incidents as as attacks.
In april, Iranian-flagged Happiness 1 vessel suffered “engine failure and loss of control”. In august, Iran’s Helm oil tanker also reported issues. at the time, both incidents were not cited as attacks.
according to the October letter, however, the two incidents resulted from hostile actions that resulted in “similar damage” as in the case with the sabiti.
In the document, Tehran says the attacks are most likely orchestrated by a single or multiple state actors, not a terrorist group.
The statement comes at a time of increased tensions in the region, with Iran ramping up its nuclear activities in a breach of the 2015 nuclear deal.
In september, Iran was also widely accused of targeting two key saudi oil plants in a move that could now be seen as retaliation for the suspected attacks on its own oil vessels.
i24
Week 44 07•November•2019
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