BICOM

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) told a special meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) yesterday that a ‘state actor’ was behind the recent attack on four oil tankers.

The Security Council convened a meeting with representatives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Norway to discuss the 12 May attack in the UAE port of Fujairah, just outside the Strait of Hormuz. While there were no casualties, Saudi Arabia said two of its ships suffered ‘significant damage’. In its report, the UAE said the attacks bore the hallmarks of a “sophisticated and coordinated operation,” most likely by a ‘state actor’. But the countries did not say who they believe was behind the attacks, and did not mention Iran.

The three countries said the attacks required expert navigation of fast boats and trained divers who likely placed limpet mines with a high degree of precision on the vessels under the waterline. While investigations are still ongoing, according to the report there are: “Indications that the four attacks were part of a sophisticated and coordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, condemned the UNSC meeting, tweeting: “The B-Team boys who cry wolf are crying once again.  This time, Mossad is fabricating intelligence about Iran’s involvement in sabotage in Fujairah. I’ve warned of ‘accidents’ and false flags — we know what happens when you believe their lies. We’ve been here before, haven’t we?” His ‘B-Team’ comment was in reference to US National Security Advisor John Bolton, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said on 29 May that the attacks were the work of “naval mines almost certainly from Iran”. He made the remarks after a US military team assessed the damage to the oil tankers. During a visit to the UAE last month, Bolton said: “There’s no doubt in anybody’s mind in Washington who’s responsible for this.”

At the time, the Iranian Government condemned the attacks on the tankers. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the attacks were “worrying and unfortunate” and called for an investigation that would “make clear all of the dimensions of the incident”.