RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said yesterday two of its oil tankers were damaged in “sabotage attacks” in the Gulf as tensions soared in a region already shaken by a standoff between the United States and Iran. It came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow to head to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran. Tehran called for an investigation into the ‘alarming’ attacks and warned of ‘adventurism’ by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. The United States has already strengthened its military presence in the region, including deploying a number of strategic B-52 bombers in response to alleged Iranian threats. Saudi Arabia, the Islamic republic’s regional arch-rival, condemned “the acts of sabotage which targeted commercial and civilian vessels near the territorial waters of the United Arab Emirates,” a foreign ministry source said. “This criminal act constitutes a serious threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and adversely impacts regional and international peace and security,” the source added. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels of various nationalities had been targeted by acts of sabotage off the emirate of Fujairah. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the two tankers suffered ‘significant damage’ but there were no casualties or any oil spill. “Two Saudi oil tankers were subjected to a sabotage attack in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the Emirate of Fujairah, while on their way to cross into the Arabian Gulf,” the SPA state news agency quoted Falih as saying. Fujairah port is the only terminal in the UAE located on the Arabian Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, through which most Gulf oil exports pass. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in case of a military confrontation with the United States. One of the two tankers that was attacked was on its way to be loaded with crude oil from a Saudi oil terminal for customers in the United States, Falih said. The UAE did not accuse anyone of responsibility but warned that “carrying out acts of sabotage on commercial and civilian vessels and threatening the safety and lives of those on board is a serious development”. No one was hurt and Abu Dhabi called on world powers to help keep maritime traffic safe. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed concern over the incident and its possible consequences. “The incidents in the Sea of Oman are alarming and regrettable,” Mousavi said in an English-language statement on the ministry’s website. He also ‘warned against plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security’ and ‘called for the vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements’, the statement added. Almost all the oil exports of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran itself, at least 15 million barrels per day, are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudi minister denounced the attack on the vessels, saying it “aims to undermine the freedom of maritime navigation and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world.” He also urged the international community to “protect the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers, to mitigate against the adverse consequences of such incidents on energy markets, and the danger they pose to the global economy.” The UAE had earlier categorically denied reported on social media of massive explosions in oil tankers in the emirate. — AFP<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email Saudi Arabia said Monday two of its oil tankers were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in attacks that caused “significant damage” to the vessels, one of them as it was en route to pick up Saudi oil to take to the United States. The announcement by the kingdom’s energy minister, Khalid al-Falih, came as the U.S. issued a new warning to sailors and the UAE’s regional allies condemned the reported sabotage Sunday of four ships off the coast of the port city of Fujairah. READ MORE: ‘No negotiations:’ Inuit group asks for Eastern Arctic areas to not be developed The statement came just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets aired false reports of explosions at the city’s port. Emirati officials have declined to elaborate on the nature of the sabotage or say who might have been responsible. Story continues below advertisement The U.S. has warned ships that “Iran or its proxies” could be targeting maritime traffic in the region. America is deploying an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged threats from Tehran. WATCH: U.S. moves Patriot missile to Middle East amid tensions with Iran 2:05 U.S. moves Patriot missile to Middle East amid tensions with Iran U.S. moves Patriot missile to Middle East amid tensions with Iran – May 11, 2019 Shortly after the Saudi announcement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called for further clarification about what exactly happened with the Saudi tankers. The ministry’ spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying there should be more information about the incident. Mousavi also warned against any “conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers” and “adventurism by foreigners” to undermine the maritime region’s stability and security. Tensions have risen in the year since President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, restoring American sanctions that have pushed Iran’s economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal. Story continues below advertisement In his statement, al-Falih said the attacks on the two tankers happened at 6 a.m. Sunday. READ MORE: ‘No negotiations with America’: Iran Revolutionary Guard dismisses Trump “One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to Saudi Aramco’s customers in the United States,” al-Falih said. “Fortunately, the attack didn’t lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels.” Saudi Arabia did not identify the vessels involved, nor did it say whom it suspected of carrying out the alleged sabotage. The kingdom’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incident in a statement published on the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Monday as a “criminal act” that threatens the “safety of maritime traffic, which reflects negatively on regional and international peace and security.” Al-Falih also said the attack aimed to undermine the “security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world” and emphasized the “joint responsibility of the international community to protect” the safety of maritime navigation and oil tankers. READ MORE: Russia attacks and seizes 3 Ukrainian ships near annexed Crimea Underling the regional risk, the general-secretary of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council described the incident as a “serious escalation.” Story continues below advertisement “Such irresponsible acts will increase tension and conflicts in the region and expose its peoples to great danger,” Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani said. Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen’s internationally recognized government similarly condemned the alleged sabotage. A statement Sunday from the UAE’s Foreign Ministry put the ships near the country’s territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the port of Fujairah. It said it was investigating “in cooperation with local and international bodies.” It said there were “no injuries or fatalities on board the vessels” and “no spillage of harmful chemicals or fuel.” The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which oversees the region, did not immediately offer comment. Emirati officials declined to answer questions from The Associated Press, saying their investigation is ongoing. WATCH: Pressure to halt exports and arms sales to Saudi Arabia 2:20 Pressure to halt exports and arms sales to Saudi Arabia Pressure to halt exports and arms sales to Saudi Arabia – Mar 3, 2019 Earlier Sunday, Lebanon’s pro-Iran satellite channel Al-Mayadeen, quoting “Gulf sources,” falsely reported that a series of explosions had struck Fujairah’s port. State and semi-official media in Iran picked up the report from Al-Mayadeen, which later published the names of vessels it claimed were involved. Story continues below advertisement The AP, after speaking to Emirati officials and local witnesses, found the report about explosions at the port to be unsubstantiated. Fujairah’s port is about 140 kilometers (85 miles) south of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil at sea is traded. The facility handles oil for bunkering and shipping, as well as general and bulk cargo. It is seen as strategically located, serving shipping routes in the Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and Africa. READ MORE: CNRL optimism up on oil curtailments, crude by rail rebound Sunday’s incident comes after the U.S. Maritime Administration, a division of the U.S. Transportation Department, warned Thursday that Iran could target commercial sea traffic. “Since early May, there is an increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against U.S. and partner interests, including oil production infrastructure, after recently threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz,” the warning read. “Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait or the Persian Gulf.” Early Sunday, the agency issued a new warning to sailors about the alleged sabotage, while stressing “the incident has not been confirmed.” It urged shippers to exercise caution in the area for the next week. Story continues below advertisement Publicly available satellite images of the area taken Sunday showed no smoke or fire. It remains unclear if the previous warning from the U.S. Maritime Administration is the same perceived threat that prompted the White House to order the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers to the region on May 4. ___ Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Iran’s Foreign Ministry is calling for clarification about what happened with two Saudi oil tankers that the kingdom says were targeted in a “sabotage attack” off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said two of the ships were Saudi oil tankers that sustained “significant damage” in Sunday’s attack near the UAE emirate of Fujairah. On Monday, Iran foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi expressed concern about the explosions and said there should be more information about what exactly happened. He said the security of shipping and maritime transport in the region was of paramount importance, The Associated Press reported. The state-run IRNA news agency also quoted Mr Mousavi as cautioning against any “conspiracy orchestrated by ill-wishers” and “adventurism by foreigners” to undermine the region’s stability and security. The ships were among four commercial vessels sabotaged on Sunday. Fujairah is one of the world’s largest bunkering hubs and lies just outside the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a vital oil and natural gas corridor for the global energy market. The UAE’s foreign minister gave no details of what form the sabotage took, but said there were no injuries or deaths. “Subjecting commercial vessels to sabotage operations and threatening the lives of their crew is considered a dangerous development,” said the ministry statement tweeted by state news agency WAM on Sunday. It did not identify the vessels, beyond saying they were of various nationalities. It said the incident did not result in spills. BREAKING: Saudi Arabia's energy minister says 2 Saudi oil tankers hit in "sabotage attack" off UAE coast have "significant damage" — The Associated Press (@AP) May 13, 2019 However, in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, Saudi energy minister Khalid Al-Falih said two of his nation’s tankers were targeted. One tanker was on its way to the kingdom to be loaded with Saudi crude oil to send to the US. “Fortunately, the attack didn’t lead to any casualties or oil spill,” he said. “However, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels.” The Associated Press reported on Monday that the US had issued a new alert to maritime traffic after the sabotage, amid heightened regional tensions between American and Iran. In recent days the US has sent additional warships to the region. The UAE foreign ministry called the attempted sabotage a “dangerous development” and called on the global community to “prevent such actions” in future. Earlier on Sunday, the government of the UAE emirate of Fujairah denied media reports of blasts at its port. The US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it was aware of the report when contacted by Reuters but referred queries to the UAE authorities. The statement did not identify the media outlets that published the reports of blasts. But the Iranian Press TV website cited a Lebanese broadcaster, Mayadeen, saying seven oil tankers were attacked in the port. The UAE statement also denied any incident had taken place inside the port. It said the UAE had taken all necessary measures and launched an investigation in coordination with international authorities. “The international community should carry out its responsibilities to prevent any parties trying to harm maritime security and safety, which would be considered a threat to international safety and security,” it said. -with AAP<doc-sep>
Fast News Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says the incidents near the coast of Fujairah are "worrisome and dreadful" and calls for an investigation into the matter. Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz, on December 21, 2018. (Reuters Archive) Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two Saudi oil tankers were among vessels targeted by a "sabotage attack" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), condemning it as an attempt to undermine the security of global crude supplies. The announcement by the kingdom's energy minister Khalid al Falih came as tensions soared in a region already shaken by a stand-off between the United States and Iran. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo scrapped a planned visit to Moscow to head to Brussels instead for talks with European officials on Iran. The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were hit by sabotage near the emirate of Fujairah, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE gave no details on the nature of the sabotage or who was behind it. Iran called for an investigation into the "alarming" attacks and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. Norway-registered tanker damaged The hull of a Norwegian-registered product tanker was damaged by an unknown object off the coast of port Fujairah on Sunday, Thome Ship Management said on Monday. "The master of MT Andrea Victory reported the crew were unharmed but there was a hole in the hull area of the aft peak tank. The ship is not in any danger of sinking," Thome said in a statement. The vessel is 47,210 deadweight tonnes, according to Refinitiv data. No casualties The UAE earlier said there were no casualties and operations at Fujairah port were normal. The strait, a vital global oil and gas shipping route, separates the Gulf states and Iran, which has been embroiled in an escalating war of words with the United States over sanctions and the U.S. military's presence in the region. Falih said in a statement that one of the two Saudi vessels attacked was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude from Ras Tanura port for delivery to state-owned Saudi Aramco's customers in the United States. The attack did not lead to any casualties or an oil spill but caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels, said the statement carried on state news agency SPA. Trading and shipping sources identified the Saudi vessels as Bahri-owned very large crude carrier (VLCC) tanker Amjad and crude tanker Al Marzoqah. National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) did not respond to a request for comment. Falih said the attack aimed to undermine maritime freedom and "security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world". "The international community has a joint responsibility to protect the safety of maritime navigation and the security of oil tankers, to mitigate against the adverse consequences of such incidents on energy markets and the danger they pose to the global economy," he said. Means of 'sabotage' unknown The US Maritime Administration said in an advisory on Sunday that the incidents off Fujairah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, have not been confirmed and urged caution when transiting the area. It said, "the precise means of attack or sabotage is unknown". Earlier this month, the Maritime Administration warned that US commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through key Middle East waterways could be targeted by Iran in one of the threats to US interests posed by Tehran. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman called the incidents on Sunday to ships near the coast of Fujairah "worrisome and dreadful", and asked for an investigation into the matter. Source: TRTWorld and agencies