An Iranian military official has denied responsibility for the fire at Fujairah port, instead blaming the United States for what he described as “military adventurism,” according to Al Jazeera.
“The Islamic Republic had no pre-planned programme to attack the mentioned oil facilities, and what occurred was the result of US military adventurism aimed at creating a route for the illegal passage of ships through the restricted waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” the official told Iran’s IRIB news agency.
He added that the United States should be held accountable and urged its officials to abandon the use of force in diplomatic matters, warning against continued military actions in a sensitive oil region with global economic implications.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said in a social media post on Tuesday that violations of the four-week-old ceasefire by the US and its allies had jeopardised the security of shipping and energy transit.
“The new equation of the Strait of Hormuz is in the process of being solidified. The security of shipping and energy transit has been jeopardised by the United States and its allies through the violation of the ceasefire and the imposition of a blockade,” the X post read.
The strait is a vital thoroughfare for global supplies of oil, fertiliser and other commodities that have been virtually closed since the U.S. and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, causing price rises around the world.
Several merchant ships in the Gulf reported explosions or fires on Monday, and an oil port in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a large U.S. military base, was set ablaze by Iranian missiles.
Conflicting reports
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has effectively closed the narrow waterway under threat of mines, drones, missiles and gunboats. The US has responded with a blockade of Iranian ports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday’s events showed there was no military solution to the crisis. He said peace talks were progressing with Pakistan’s mediation, and warned the US and the UAE against being drawn into a “quagmire.”
The US military said two US merchant ships made it through the strait, without saying when, with the support of Navy guided-missile destroyers.
While Iran denied any crossings had taken place, Maersk said the Alliance Fairfax, a US-flagged ship, exited the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, accompanied by the US military, on Monday.
The commander of US forces in the region said his fleet had destroyed six small Iranian boats, which Iran also denied. Iranian media quoted a military commander as saying US forces targeted civilian boats, killing five civilians.
Iran also said on Monday it had fired on a US warship approaching the strait, forcing it to turn around. Iranian officials later described the fire as warning shots.
Reuters could not independently verify the full situation in the strait on Monday as the warring sides issued contradictory statements.
South Korea reported that one of its merchant ships, HMM Namu, in the strait suffered an explosion and fire in its engine room, though no one aboard was hurt. A South Korean government spokesperson said it was unclear if the fire was caused by an attack.
Also on Monday, the British maritime security agency UKMTO reported two ships had been hit off the coast of the UAE, and the Emirati oil company ADNOC said one of its empty oil tankers was hit by Iranian drones.
Source: Express Tribune
