6-13-19

A US-linked tanker was “torpedoed” in the Gulf of Oman! American officials are already saying it’s “highly likely” Iran was behind the attack. Is Iran really this crazy or is this attack just another false flag? US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said #Washington believes #Iran is behind the attack on two Japanese tankers in #GulfofOman. He believes Tehran wants to end “successful maximum pressure campaign” of Washington’s sanctions.  No economic sanctions entitle the Islamic Republic to attack innocent civilians. -–

False Flag or Provocation? U.S. Quickly Blames Iran for Attacks on Ships

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*US Blames Iran On “Attack” On Tankers*Warships On The Move*More Troops To Poland

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Pompeo blames Iran for attack on tankers in Gulf of Oman

RT

Pompeo blames Iran for attack on tankers in Gulf of Oman

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Washington believes Iran is behind the attack on two Japanese tankers in Gulf of Oman. He believes Tehran wants to end “successful maximum pressure campaign” of Washington’s sanctions.

“This is only the latest in the series of attacks instigated by the Republic of Iran and its surrogates against American allies and interests. They should be understood in the context of four years of unprovoked aggression against freedom-loving nations,” Pompeo said.

Earlier on Thursday, two oil tankers, identified as Marshall Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous, were rocked by explosions in the Gulf of Oman. There’s so far little information on what actually happened, but one of the vessels was reportedly hit by a torpedo. Iran said it had rescued 44 sailors from the distressed tankers and called the incident “suspicious.”

ALSO ON RT.COM‘Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what happened’: Iran’s FM on tanker ‘attacks’ in Gulf of Oman

Pompeo didn’t provide any proof for his claims, but reminded reporters that back in April Iran threatened to interrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

He listed a series of incidents in the Middle East, including the attack on tanker ships at port in the United Arab Emirates, that US has blamed on Iran. There has been no proof offered by the US that Tehran is behind the attacks, and Iran denies any involvement.

Pompeo, however, claimed that Tehran was “lashing out” at Washington’s “successful maximum pressure campaign”which has consisted of several layers of sanctions.

No economic sanctions entitle the Islamic Republic to attack innocent civilians.

US ambassador to the UN Jonathan Cohen has been instructed to bring up “Iran’s attacks” in the UN Security Council session on Thursday afternoon.

In recent months, Washington has stepped up the pressure on the Islamic Republic to renegotiate the nuclear deal signed in 2015 between world powers, but unilaterally scrapped by the Trump administration last May. So far, Iran has indicated no willingness to do so, arguing the US must stick to the deal it signed in 2015.

RT

Iran FM: “Suspicious Doesn’t Begin To Describe” Attack On Japanese Tanker During Abe’s State Visit

With the words “Gulf of Tonkin” trending on Twitter this morning at a moment that a senior American defense official told CBS News that “it’s highly likely Iran caused these attacks,” it appears the general public is not even close to buying the claim that Iran attacked two tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz this morning. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Javid Zarif pointed out a crucial obvious factor not likely to make it across the US mainstream airwaves or headlines: 

“Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,” he said. 

This especially crucial — according to his comments — given that one of the vessels is a Japanese tanker supposedly “attacked” by Iran in the middle of a visit to Tehran by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japan’s Trade Ministry later confirmed that one of the ships hit Thursday morning was carrying “Japan-related cargo.”

Via The Japan News/The Yomiuri Shimbun: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attends a joint press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani following their summit meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

The details of the Japanese tanker are described by the AP as follows:

The Japanese operator of a tanker that was damaged in a suspected attack in the Strait of Hormuz says all of its crewmembers are now safe onboard a U.S. Navy warship.

The chemical tanker Kokuka Courageous, operated by Kokuka Sangyo Co., was apparently attacked as it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz toward Singapore and Thailand destinations to deliver methanol.

Currently Iran is desperately attempting to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal with other world powers at a time its economy is being crushed under US sanctions, and Wednesday’s visit by the Japanese PM appears an attempt to mediate. The tanker incident and emergency nature of what transpired “eclipsed the Abe visit, an unexpected bit of outreach to Iran by someone Trump calls a friend,” as CNN noted. 

The Panama-flagged and Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was one of the two vessels reportedly attacked, possibly by torpedo fire, mine, or underwater drone, in the Gulf of Oman. 

Joyce Karam✔@Joyce_Karam

 

Two oil tankers damaged after ‘reported attack’ in Gulf of Oman, US says

The incident comes a month after an attack on four tankers off the coast of the UAE

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Speaking of CNN, we’ve really entered new territory when even it’s pundits are quickly raising the question of a ‘false flag’ in our midst:

Iran doesn’t appear to have a lot to gain. Say what you like about Tehran’s malicious intent, these incidents heighten the global drumbeat for greater isolation and boosts those who seek to apply military pressure on Iran. Its economy is in a bad condition. Before President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the JCPOA (colloquially known as the Iran nuclear deal), Tehran was at its peak of regional influence. With diminished economic resources, its potency is likely to wane.

The incidents also came in the middle of a visit to Tehran by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, apparently trying to mediate over the nuclear deal (although Tokyo says he’s not an envoy for Washington). The apparent attacks eclipsed the Abe visit, an unexpected bit of outreach to Iran by someone Trump calls a friend.

And quite surprisingly, more from CNN:

Iran’s chief moderate, Foreign Minister Javid Zarif, was right to point out that “suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning.” When one party is so easily blamed, it is likely blameless, or unfathomably stupid.

Meanwhile anonymous US officials are blaming a “state actor” in what is very likely just the beginning of a hail of evidence-free accusations and threats to follow. 

And separately, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government in the country’s civil war has come out and blamed Iran for Thursday’s attack, saying they believe they can connect it to a similar tanker bombing last year in the Red Sea committed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The spokesman called the attack a “major escalation”, and reiterated in what sounded to us like a thinly veiled threat that Saudi Arabia has the capacity to protect its vital institutions.

Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP Photo

It will be interesting to see what Japan officially concludes when it releases further statements and perhaps more details of its findings on the incident. On Wednesday, just before the attack, Japan’s Abe told Rouhani that “no one wants a military clash” while speaking of the US so-called “maximum pressure” campaign and ratcheting tensions with Washington. Abe said at a press conference while standing beside Rouhani: “I decided to visit Iran as part of my efforts to ease tensions.”

PM Abe also called on Tehran’s leaders to play a “constructive role” toward stabilizing the region and pursuing a calming of tensions. 

And following this positive meeting with Japan’s head of state that went in Iran’s favor, what did Iran decide to do a mere hours later?… Attack a nearby Japanese tanker of course!

Zero Hedge

#politics #shtf #war #iran #japan #middleeast #prophecy #endtimes 

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