Saudi crown prince calls for a ‘decisive stand’ against Iran as he blames regime for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says his kingdom does not want war
- But he ‘will not hesitate to deal with threats to its people, its sovereignty or its vital interests’, according to comments published by Saudi-owned newspaper
- Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz saw two oil tankers targeted by explosions
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers off the region’s coast as he called for a ‘decisive stand’ to be made.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his kingdom does not want a war in the region but ‘will not hesitate to deal with threats to its people’, according to Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
The attacks, which saw two oil tankers targeted on Thursday, have raised fears of confrontation in Iran after the US also blamed the region.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his kingdom does not want a war in the region but ‘will not hesitate to deal with threats to its people’, according to the Saudi owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Pictured at a Arab summit at al-Safa Royal Palace in Mecca
The US have also claimed Iranians fired a missile at a US drone in the area hours before the attack but missed, an official told CNN.
The tankers were attacked in strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil.
Explosions damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran.
He had been trying to help ease rising tensions between the US and Iran.
‘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,’ Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the Saudi-owned newspaper.
Explosions damaged the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Tehran
‘The kingdom does not want a war in the region but it will not hesitate to deal with any threats to its people, its sovereignty, or its vital interests,’ he added.
Tehran and Washington have both said they have no interest in war – but this has done little to assuage concerns the arch foes could stumble in to conflict.
In comments published early on Sunday, the Crown Prince also said the kingdom’s strategic relations with the United States would not be affected by ‘media campaigns or some stances published by US entities’.
Riyadh has come under mounting international scrutiny over its human rights record since last year’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been living in the United States and writing for the Washington Post.
The tankers were attacked in strikes south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route and major transit route for oil