Iran TV shows rescued crew of attacked tanker in ‘full health’

TEHRAN: Iran’s English-language Press TV aired footage of rescued crew members of one of the two tankers attacked in the Sea of Oman, saying they are all in “full health.”

“This video refutes false reports by some media outlets claiming that Iran avoided helping the sailors working on the vessel,” Press TV said.The video begins by showing the 23 crew members of the tanker Front Altair in a room watching what seems to be Iranian state television’s coverage of a speech by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to the official news agency IRNA, the Iranian navy rescued 44 crew members from the two tankers which caught fire off the Iranian coast and transferred them to the nearby port of Bandar-e Jask.

But US Central Command said the 21 crew of the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous were picked up by a Dutch tug and transferred not to an Iranian vessel but to the destroyer USS Bainbridge. The Front Altair, owned by a company listed on the Norwegian stock exchange, was carrying naphtha from Qatar to Taiwan.

“Everything is OK,” said one of the vessel’s “chief officers”, presenting himself as Russian and thanking Iran for its “hospitality.” Press TV said 11 of the crew were Russian, 11 Filipino and one Georgian.

Rouhani says US ‘serious threat to global stability’: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the United States present a serious threat to global and regional stability as tensions soar in the Gulf.

“The US government over the last two years, violating all the international structures and rules and using its economic, financial and military resources, has taken an aggressive approach and presents a serious risk to stability in the region and the world,” Rouhani said. He was speaking at a meeting in Bishkek of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — a Eurasian security alliance that includes China, India and Russia. Rouhani criticised the US for withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, saying Washington is forcing other parties and countries to breach a UN Security Council resolution on normalising trade contacts with Tehran. He called on the other participants in the deal to “carry out their obligations as soon as possible” so Tehran can develop its economic interests under the deal.

Russia warns against ‘hasty conclusions’: Russia warned against jumping to conclusions over the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman after US President Donald Trump blamed them on Iran. “We consider it necessary to refrain from hasty conclusions,” the Russian foreign ministry said, calling for a thorough international investigation. “We strongly condemn the attacks no matter who is behind them,” the ministry said in a statement. “We are concerned by tensions in the Gulf of Oman,” it said, calling on all parties to show restraint.

Trump pins tanker attacks on Iran: President Donald Trump doubled down in accusing Iran of executing explosions on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, saying the incident had Iran “written all over it.” However, as US-Iranian tensions soared, Trump dismissed previous threats by Tehran that in case of conflict it could block the Hormuz Strait — a narrow seaway vital to the world’s oil supplies. “They’re not going to be closing it,” he said in an interview on Fox News television. Speaking hours after the US military released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an “unexploded limpet mine” from one of the tankers, Trump said “Iran did do it.”

Trump says ready to hold talks with Iran despite tanker attacks: US President Donald Trump said he was ready to launch talks with Iran whenever it was ready, even as he blamed Tehran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. “We want to get them back to the table,” Trump told Fox News in an interview. “I’m ready when they are,” adding that he was in “no rush.” Asked how to he planned to address Tehran and stop any further incidents, Trump said: “We’ll see what happens.”