May 29, 2019
Tankers almost certainly damaged by Iranian naval mines, US says
AFP US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said "Naval mines almost certainly from Iran" were to blame for the damage to oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this month. The incident came amid an escalation in tensions between Iran and the US. Last Friday, US Vice Admiral Michael Gilday said he believed "With a high degree of confidence that this [attack] stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels". Mr Bolton, a long-standing advocate for regime change in Iran, echoed the admiral's words during a visit to the UAE on Wednesday, telling reporters it was "Clear that Iran is behind" the attack. The US sees the attack as part of a wider "Campaign" against it and its allies approved by Iranian leaders. Mr Bolton said Iran-backed forces also carried out drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia on 14 May and fired a rocket into an area of the Iraqi capital Baghdad that houses the US embassy on 19 May. He also revealed that there had been "An unsuccessful attack on the Saudi port of Yanbu a couple of days before the attack on tankers".
Related companies
Make a complaint about National by viewing their customer service contacts.
