US Seeks to ‘Build International Consensus’ Blaming Iran for Tanker Attacks
- US Seeks to ‘Build International Consensus’ Blaming Iran for Tanker Attacks
by Jessica Glenza in New York, @JessicaGlenza, https://www.theguardian.com/international
Defense chief says attack was not just ‘US situation’, as UK joins Washington in accusing Iran and Saudi Arabia calls for ‘rapid’ response
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The US is hoping to “build international consensus” around what officials claim is Iran’s responsibility for damaging two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as UK officials joined the US in formally accusing Iran of carrying out the attacks.
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The efforts come after the US released grainy surveillance footage of an alleged Iran Revolutionary Guard patrol boat, with men who appear to remove a magnetic limpet mine on the hull of one of the ships. The acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, said the US was looking to “build international consensus to this international problem” on Friday.
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The attack was not only a “US situation”, Shanahan said. He listed several other countries that operated vessels in the waters. “When you look at the situation, a Norwegian ship, Japanese ship, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE,” Shanahan said, referring to attacks a few weeks prior.
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Oil prices have risen 3.4% following the attack, which came in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping channel for international oil supplies. Insurance for ship operators in the area jumped 10%.
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