US does not want war with Iran, continues diplomacy: Pompeo

WASHINGTON: While it is “unmistakable” that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two tankers last week, the United States does not want to go to war with Tehran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.

In an interview with “Fox News Sunday”, Pompeo said, “President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war. We don’t want war.” But he added that Washington will guarantee free navigation through vital shipping areas.

“The United States is going make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise that achieve that outcome,” Pompeo said. “Iran will not get a nuke weapon. That’s the goal,” he said when asked about the possibility of Trump sending more American troops and military hardware to the region.

“I made a number of calls to colleagues around the world yesterday. I am confident that we will have partners that understand this threat,” Pompeo said. Pompeo blamed Iran on Sunday for last week’s attacks on oil tankers and vowed that the United States will guarantee free passage through the vital Strait of Hormuz. Pompeo would not be drawn on what options the US is considering to protect shipping — or to punish Iran — in the wake of Thursday’s attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

“What you should assume is we are going to guarantee freedom of navigation throughout the strait,” he said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” A third of the world’s seaborne oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel bordered to the north by Iran that links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

“This is an international challenge, important to the entire globe. The United States is going to make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise, that achieve that outcome,” Pompeo said.

Damaged tankers reach safe waters after Gulf attacks: Two damaged tankers arrived safely Sunday at locations off the Emirati coast after they were rocked by explosions in Gulf waters, in an incident Saudi Arabia blamed on its regional arch-rival Iran.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair — the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane. US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran “written all over it” — rejecting Tehran’s vehement denial — and its key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and called on the international community to take a “decisive stand” but said in an interview published on Sunday that the kingdom does not want a war in the region.

“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 was quoted as saying in an interview with the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned Sunday there was a “great risk” of escalation in the Gulf, adding that Washington wanted the situation to end in negotiations. Britain has concluded that responsibility “almost certainly” lies with Iran.