Photo: Iran says it is being made into a scapegoat for the oil tanker explosions. (AP: Tasnim News Agency)

Oil tanker explosions prompt Saudi call for decisive action to secure Gulf of Oman energy supplies

16 Jun 2019,

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince has blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

He is quoted in an interview with a Saudi-owned newspaper as saying the attack on the tankers, one of them Japanese, was an insult to Japan's Prime Minister, who was visiting Iran at the time.

The United States has also blamed Iran for the attacks but Tehran has denied any involvement.

In the interview, the Crown Prince also said the kingdom did not want a war in the region but would not hesitate to deal with any threat to its interests.

"The Iranian regime did not respect the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to Tehran and while he was there replied to his efforts by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese," the newspaper quoted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying.

Photo: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says his kingdom does not want a war but will defend its interests. (Reuters via Saudi Royal Court)

Thursday's tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman exacerbated the antagonistic fallout from similar blasts in May that crippled four vessels.

Washington is already embroiled in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear program.

Crew members of the Norwegian-owned Front Altair tanker landed in Dubai on Saturday after two days in Iran.

The mariners' recollection and the physical evidence remaining on the Front Altair and the other tanker damaged in the attack — the Kokuka Courageous, which is now off the coast of Fujairah — will play an important role in determining who the international community blames for Thursday's explosions on board the oil tankers.