There is not the slightest reason to believe that Iran may have been involved in the attack on the Mercer Street tanker until Western countries, which have blamed Tehran, have presented evidence, Zamir Kabulov, Director of the Second Asia Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told RIA Novosti.
Iran's Ambassador to London was summoned to the British Foreign Office on Monday in connection with the attack on the Mercer Street tanker attributed to Tehran. In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned an adviser to the British Ambassador over accusations by British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab regarding Tehran's involvement in the attacks on the Israeli tanker Mercer Street.
"We don't have the slightest reason to believe (that Iran was involved in the attack - ed.), because we have no facts. When we have the facts, then we will develop our attitude," Kabulov said.
He noted that so far Tehran has not asked Moscow for assistance in clarifying the circumstances of the incident. "'...They have not addressed it yet, they have not even had time for that, I am afraid, because everything has flared up in the last couple of days,'' the high-ranking diplomat explained.
Dominic Raab, head of the British Foreign Office, said Sunday that London is working with international partners on a coordinated response to Iran for the attack on the Mercer Street tanker. He said it was "very likely" that Iran attacked the Mercer Street tanker using one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Later, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated that the United States, based on available information, is confident that Iran was behind the recent attack on the Mercer Street tanker.
Operator Zodiac Maritime reported last Friday that the Japanese-owned tanker Mercer Street was subjected to an alleged pirate attack in the Indian Ocean. Two Mercer Street crew members were reported dead. The crew subsequently regained control of the vessel and began sailing with U.S. naval escort. The Associated Press stresses that the Liberian-flagged vessel is associated with Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, who owns the Zodiac Group. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) believes that the attack on the ship, according to preliminary reports, was carried out with the help of a drone.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from RIA Novosti