The spike in tensions comes after the Trump administration’s decision to lift sanctions waivers from eight countries that import Iranian oil, in a bid to bring Iran’s exports down to “zero,” according to U.S. officials. Iranian imports had already plunged after the United States reimposed sanctions in November, following the Trump administration’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord. The expiration of the waivers is expected to inflict further pain on Iran’s already reeling economy.<doc-sep>LONDON (Reuters) - Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman called incidents on Sunday to ships near the coast of Fujairah “worrisome and dreadful”, and asked for an investigation into aspects of the matter. Abbas Mousavi was cited by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying “such incidents have negative impact on maritime transportation security”, and asking for regional countries to be “vigilant against destabilizing plots of foreign agents”. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers were targeted on Sunday in “a sabotage attack” off the coast of Fujairah, part of the United Arab Emirates, threatening the security of global oil supplies.<doc-sep>ABC News : " State Department orders non-emergency government employees out of Iraq amid tensions with Iran " — "The U.S. State Department has ordered all non-emergency government employees to leave Iraq as soon as they can amid tensions with Iran and warnings about possible threats to American interests. Reuel Marc Gerecht , senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies ( @FDD ). Former director of the Middle East Initiative at the Project for the New American Century, and former Middle East specialist at the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. The saber-rattling out of the White House on Iran is getting a lot louder. Saudi oil ships mysteriously attacked. What’s actually going on, and what exactly is the White House plan? "The order comes after U.S. officials told ABC News last week there were 'clear indications' Iranian and Iranian proxy forces were preparing for a possible attack against U.S. forces at sea and on land, including in Iraq." Foreign Policy: "If Nobody Knows Your Iran Policy, Does It Even Exist?" — "What is the Trump administration’s objective with Iran? We’ve all been watching its efforts for months now—including National Security Advisor John Bolton’s announcement on Sunday that the United States had sent an aircraft carrier to the Middle East in response to 'a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings' from Tehran—and I still can’t figure out what it is trying to achieve. That’s partly because President Donald Trump prizes being unpredictable, and his chaotically run administration is either unable or unwilling to provide clear and coherent justifications for many of its policy decisions. If you never tell anyone exactly what you’re trying to do, it’s harder for outsiders to hold you accountable later. "We are forced, therefore, to divine the administration’s objectives for ourselves. Here’s my best guess at some of the possibilities." New York Times: "White House Reviews Military Plans Against Iran, in Echoes of Iraq War" — "At a meeting of President Trump’s top national security aides last Thursday, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan presented an updated military plan that envisions sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons, administration officials said. "The revisions were ordered by hard-liners led by John R. Bolton, Mr. Trump’s national security adviser. They do not call for a land invasion of Iran, which would require vastly more troops, officials said." USA Today: "Iran says Trump playing 'very dangerous game,' risking 'devastating war'" — "The United States is playing a 'very dangerous game' as it attempts to 'drag Iran into an unnecessary war,' a senior Iranian official said Tuesday. "Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, said the Trump administration made a 'serious miscalculation' in deploying an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers and other military personnel and equipment to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, unspecified Iranian threats. "Baeidinejad denied that Iran or its 'proxies' were behind what Washington described as the 'sabotage' of oil tankers in the Gulf belonging to Saudi Arabia, Norway and the United Arab Emirates. Tuesday, Saudi Arabia said drones attacked one of its oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure, an incident that caused global oil price benchmarks to jump." Wall Street Journal: "U.S. Says Iran Likely Behind Ship Attacks" — "An initial U.S. assessment indicated Iran likely was behind the attack on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers and two other vessels damaged over the weekend near the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said, a finding that, if confirmed, would further inflame military tensions in the Persian Gulf. "The assessment, while not conclusive, was the first suggestion by any nation that Iran was responsible for the attack and comes after a series of U.S. warnings against aggression by Iran or its allies and proxies against military or commercial vessels in the region. "The U.S. official, who declined to be identified, didn’t offer details about what led to the assessment or its implications for a possible U.S. response. The U.S. has said in the past week that it was sending an aircraft carrier, an amphibious assault ship, a bomber task force and an antimissile system to the region after it alleged intelligence showed Iran posed a threat to its troops." Stefano Kotsonis produced this hour for broadcast.<doc-sep>
Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were targeted in a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The announcement comes amid increased tensions in the region between the United States and Iran, although no details have been released on the nature of the sabotage or who may have been responsible. What happened? Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said two of its oil tankers were the target of a "sabotage attack" off the coast of Fujairah. He said that one tanker was on its way to the kingdom to be loaded with crude oil to be sent to the US. There were no casualties and no oil was spilled, but the incident caused "significant damage" to the two ships. UAE officials said earlier that an alleged sabotage attack targeted four boats, including a UAE-flagged vessel. Thome Ship Management said one of its Norwegian-registered tankers was "struck by an unknown object". Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the incident was aimed at undermining the security of oil supplies Iran calls for clarification Iran's Foreign Ministry voiced concern over the alleged attacks on the ships and said that more information should be made available about what exactly took place. Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi also cautioned against any "conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers" or any attempt to undermine security and stability in the region. The secretary-general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council called the incident a "serious escalation." "Such irresponsible acts will increase tension and conflicts in the region and expose its peoples to great danger," Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani said. Tensions growing The reports on Monday came as the US warned ships in the region that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic. Last week, the US announced that it dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to send a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran. Iran then announced it would roll back some of its commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal, which has been under fire since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord a year ago. The US has also ramped up sanctions against Iran and designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group. rs/rt (AP, AFP, Reuters) Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.