Iran’s Zarif Calls Oil Tanker Incidents “Suspicious”, Wants Regional Talks

FILE PHOTO: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sits for an interview with Reuters in New York, New York, U.S. April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said two oil tanker incidents in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday were “suspicious” and called for regional dialogue to avoid tensions.

Zarif tweeted that “reported attacks on Japan-related” oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman had taken place while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei “for extensive and friendly talks”.

“Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,” he tweeted. “Iran‘s proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative.”


(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)