Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 25 July 2019

Iran’s president hints at quid pro quo for seized UK ship

By NASSER KARIMI One-fifth of globally traded
AYA BATRAWY crude passes through the
Associated Press Strait of Hormuz, making it
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Presi- an internationally impor-
dent Hassan Rouhani sug- tant chokepoint for world
gested on Wednesday that energy supplies from Gulf
Iran might release a U.K.- exporters.
flagged ship if Britain takes In past weeks, Iran has shot
similar steps to release an down a U.S. spy drone, U.S.
Iranian oil tanker seized by officials say military cyber-
the British Royal Navy off forces struck Iranian com-
Gibraltar earlier this month. puter systems that handle
His remarks could create an missile and rocket launch-
opening to reduce tensions ers, and six oil tankers have
as Boris Johnson becomes been sabotaged near
prime minister. It’s unclear the strait. Iranian officials
how the new government on Wednesday reiterated
will respond to Rouhani’s their denial that any Iranian
suggestion or the impasse drones were intercepted,
with Iran. after the U.S. military said
“We do not seek the con- Tuesday that it took aim at
tinuation of tension with two of them last week.
some European countries,” U.S. Central Command
Rouhani said in comments said one Iranian drone
carried on his website. This Monday, July 22, 2019 Maxar Technologies shows a close up of British-flagged oil tanker crashed into the sea after
“Should they be commit- Stena Impero at the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. the USS Boxer took “defen-
ted to international frame- Associated Press sive action” against it last
works and give up their described the Iranian sei- says the tanker was sus- The crew are mostly Indian, Thursday. It said the Boxer
wrong actions, including zure of the ship as “profes- pected of violating sanc- but also include Filipino, also “engaged” a second
what they did in Gibraltar, sional and brave.” tions on oil shipments to Russian and Latvian nation- Iranian drone at the same
they will receive a propor- Iranian officials have al- Syria. als. Iranian state TV aired time, but could not confirm
tional response from Iran.” leged the ship was seized Both sides have called the video of the crew onboard it was destroyed.
Britain this week an- after it violated interna- interception of one anoth- the vessel off Iran’s port of Iran’s defense minister,
nounced plans to develop tional maritime law by er’s ships “hostile acts” and Bandar Abbas earlier this Gen. Amir Hatami, told re-
and deploy a Europe-led turning off its signaling for “piracy.” week. porters Wednesday that “if
“maritime protection mis- longer than is allowed and Stena Bulk, the owner of A spate of incidents in past someone claims he should
sion” to safeguard shipping passing through the wrong the ship being held by Iran, weeks has threatened se- provide evidence,” adding
in the area after Iran’s Rev- channels. said it made first contact curity in the Strait of Hor- that “none of our drones
olutionary Guard seized the However, Iranian officials Tuesday evening with the muz, which lies between have been intercepted.”
Stena Impero in the Strait of have also suggested the crew of 23 since its seizure Iran and Oman. Tensions Despite a U.K. government
Hormuz on Friday. ship was seized in response five days ago. The com- have also soared following advisory that British-flagged
Rouhani said that while to Britain’s role in impound- pany said the ship’s mas- President Donald Trump’s ships avoid the Strait of Hor-
Iran does not seek a mili- ing an Iranian supertanker ter advised “that everyone decision last year to with- muz, a large British-flagged
tary conflict, it will not allow two weeks earlier off the was safe with good coop- draw from the nuclear deal vessel transited the corridor
threats to its security in the coast of Gibraltar, a British eration with the Iranian per- and impose maximal sanc- and arrived at a port in Qa-
important waterway. He overseas territory. The U.K. sonnel onboard.” tions on Iran. tar on Wednesday.q

Deaths as bomber detonates in Mogadishu mayor’s office

By ABDI GULED voy, saying Swan had re- ernment directors and a
Associated Press ceived an overview of the senior adviser to the mayor.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) “challenges” in the region. The official spoke on condi-
— A suicide bomber walked The mayor, Abdirahman tion of anonymity because
into the office of Mogadi- Omar Osman, and his dep- they were not authorized to
shu’s mayor and detonat- uty were rushed to a hos- speak to the media.
ed explosives strapped to pital with critical wounds, It was not clear how the
his waist, killing six people police Capt. Mohamed bomber managed to enter
and badly wounding the Hussein said. the mayor’s office during
mayor minutes after a visit Somalia’s information min- a security meeting. Some
from the new United Na- ister Mohamed Abdi Hayir security officials said the at-
tions envoy, Somali officials said six officials were killed tacker might have coordi-
said Wednesday. and six others were wound- nated with corrupt officials,
The attack claimed by the ed. He told reporters the offering them bribes for ac-
al-Shabab extremist group Medical workers help civilian on stretcher who was wounded mayor was being treated cess.
occurred after the envoy in suicide bomb, at Madina hospital, Mogadishu, Wednesday, and gave no further details. The al-Qaida-linked al-
to Somalia, James Swan, July 24, 2019. He also confirmed an inves- Shabab often targets gov-
paid the mayor a “cour- Associated Press tigation was underway. ernment buildings such as
tesy call” and left the com- spoke on condition of ano- The U.N. mission in Soma- A Somali intelligence offi- the presidential palace
pound, an official at the nymity because they were lia in a tweet before the cial said the officials killed and other high-profile parts
mayor’s office told The As- not authorized to speak to bombing posted photos of included two district com- of Mogadishu with bomb-
sociated Press. The official the media. the smiling mayor and en- missioners, two local gov- ings. q