UNSC talks on UAE oil-tanker attacks yield no result

The United Arab Emirates told United Nations Security Council members on Thursday that attacks on four tankers off its coast on May 12 bore the hallmarks of a “sophisticated and coordinated operation,” most likely by a state actor.

In a document on the briefing to Security Council members, the UAE, joined by Norway and Saudi Arabia, did not say who it believed was behind the attacks and did not mention Iran, which has been accused by the United States of being directly responsible, Reuters reports.

"While investigations are still ongoing, these facts are strong indications that the four attacks were part of a sophisticated and coordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity, most likely a state actor," the document said."We believe the responsibility for this attack lies on the shoulders of Iran," Saudi Arabia's UN ambassador, Abdallah al-Mouallimi, told reporters after the briefing.

However, Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told reporters that no evidence was presented in the briefing linking Iran to the attacks."We shouldn't jump to conclusions. This investigation will be continued," he said.

Tensions in the region spiked after the four ships were damaged in a mysterious sabotage attack off the coast of the emirate of Fujairah on May 12.

Iran has called for the clarification of the exact dimensions of the incident the vigilance of regional states "in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements", and warned against "plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security".

Iranian foreign minister accused Israeli spy agency, Mossad, of fabricating intelligence about his country's alleged involvement in an incident which supposedly occurred near the UAE emirate of Fujairah.

"The #B_Team's boy who cries wolf is crying once again: this time Mossad is fabricating intelligence about Iran's involvement in sabotage in Fujairah," Mohammad Javad Zarif  said in a tweet on Wednesday.

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