Iran Concerned about ‘Suspicious’ Vessel Incidents in Sea of Oman

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has expressed concern over the “suspicious” incidents that happened for commercial oil tankers related to Japan at the same time as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iran’s Leader.

Such incidents are against regional and ultra-regional efforts to ease tensions and establish calm in the region,Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said in a Thursday tweet.

“Iran supports cooperation and dialogue in the region,” he added.

His comments came after two oil tankers, carrying Japan-related cargos, caught fire near the Iranian port city of Jask on Thursday morning right at the time when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The Japanese premier was in Tehran to ease tensions between Iran and the US.

The Front Altair oil tanker, moving Ethanol from Qatar to Taiwan, caught fire at 8:05 local time, 25 miles from Iran’s Jask Port.

The second Panama-flagged tanker Kokuka Corageous, moving Methanol from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, caught fire at 9:50, 30 miles from Jask, according to an Iranian official.

Iranian Search and Rescue vessel NAJI later managed to rescue 44 crew members of the two oil tankers, transferring them to the Iranian Island of Jask.

An informed source at the Iranian Armed Forces said after receiving call for emergency help from crew members of incident-hit vessels in Sea of Oman, several boats and choppers of Iranian Navy were dispatched to the scene along with rescue forces, and transferred some of the crew to Jask Port.

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