Another Act of Tanker Terrorism by CENTCOM

By:Kayhan Int’l 

Isolated on the international level and viewed by the world as the source of all evil, the administration of Donald Trump, having lost all commonsense, is clearly on a suicidal course.
The sooner the regime in the Washington destroys itself the better for world peace and the security of mankind, including the 327 million people living in the US.
In their death throes, however, Trump and his team of thugs, through their clumsy acts of terrorism, are exposing themselves to be the most crazy criminals, as was evident last Thursday when on hearing the firm response from Iran of the futility of any talks with the US, the CENTCOM terrorists triggered another set of blasts, following last May’s sabotage of 4 oil tankers off the coast of Fujairah. This time they targeted two oil tankers passing through the crucial Strait of Hormoz in a vain bid to lay the blame on the Islamic Republic.
What a bunch of idiotic elements they are! Frustrated at the fruitful discussions that Japanese Prime Minister and his delegation held in Tehran with their Iranian hosts on a wide variety of issues of mutual cooperation, including Shinoza Abe’s cordial meeting with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the latter’s rational explanation that the lawless, untrustworthy, and unprincipled Trump doesn’t deserve any reply to his dubious message, the enraged Americans targeted a Japanese tanker.
The intention was to insult Premier Abe for his praise of Islamic values and the fatwa of Ayatollah Khamenei prohibiting manufacture of any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear bombs, during his press conference with President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday that nailed the lie of the US administration.
Perhaps, some of the harebrained CENTCOM terrorists, or their proxies in the region, such as the Saudis and the Israelis, may have thought that by choosing a Japanese vessel for their act of sabotage and then laying the blame on Iran through release of a grainy video of a barely visible person abroad a small supposedly Iranian boat removing an object (allegedly an unexploded mine), from the Kokuka Courageous after it had suffered the blast, they would cause a strain in Tehran-Tokyo ties.
The Japanese government and the Japanese people are too wise to bite the bait, especially after having been the victims of US terrorism during World War 2 when the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were razed to the ground by American atomic bombs.
Following the usual blaming of Iran by the gangster Mike Pompeo and his boss, Trump, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi noted on Friday: "While Japan’s prime minister is meeting with the number one figure of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reduce tensions, which clandestine hands seek to undermine these efforts in the region and who benefit from it?”
Moreover, the Japanese ship operator on Friday disputed the US claims, saying sailors on board the Kokuka Courageous saw "flying objects” just before the attack, suggesting the tanker wasn’t damaged by mines.
The claim by the CENTCOM terrorists of rushing to the rescue of the damaged tankers and evacuating their crew also turned out to be a lie when Iranian TV channels showed clear footages of crew members of the tankers relaxing on Jask Island after their rescue by Iranian vessels.
A habitual liar, Trump has lost all credibility, and no one believes his words and that of his team of thugs – neither the traditional US allies, the West Europeans nor the majority of US people.
Iran’s principled stance is crystal clear for the whole world. As long as the CENTCOM terrorists continue their filthy presence, the region, unfortunately, will be wracked by more such acts of terrorism. 

Contradicting Trump Claim of Iranian Mine Attack, Owner of Japanese Oil Tanker Says 'Flying Object' Likely Caused Explosions

Yutaka Katada, president of the Japanese company that operates the Kokuka Courageous tanker, told reporters in Tokyo that there is a "high chance" the vessel was attacked by a "flying object." (Photo: Kyodo via Reuters)

"I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship," said Yutaka Katada

by

Jake Johnson

During a press conference just hours after the U.S. released video footage that purported to show an Iranian boat removing an unexploded mine from the side of an oil tanker, the Japanese owner of that vessel said Friday that the ship was likely damaged by a "flying object" and called claims of a mine attack "false."

"I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship," Yutaka Katada, president of the Japanese company that operates the Kokuka Courageous tanker, told reporters in Tokyo.

Katada's account of the attack appeared to contradict the Trump administration's suggestion that Iranian mines were responsible for the explosions that damaged the Kokuka Courageous and one other oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

As Common Dreams reported Friday, major American media outlets uncritically propagated the U.S. military's video footage and accompanying claims, despite widespread skepticism from independent critics and other nations.

In his first public comments on the oil tanker attacks, President Donald Trump said during a telephone interview on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning that "Iran did do it," pointing to the U.S. military's grainy video footage.

"You know they did it because you saw the boat," Trump said. "You know they did it, because you saw the boat, I guess one of the mines didn't explode and it's probably got, essentially, Iran written all over it."

But Katada said the crew members who were aboard the Kokuka Courageous at the time of the attack believe the vessel was damaged by "something [that] flew towards them."

"That created the hole, is the report I've received," Katada said. "It seems there was a high chance they were attacked by a flying object. The impact was well above the water. I don't think it was a torpedo."

Katada did not suggest a possible culprit, and the Japanese government is reportedly "gathering information" on the attacks before it reaches a conclusion.

Iran denied any responsibility for the tanker explosions, which occurred as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an effort to negotiate a reduction of tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted Thursday that it is "abundantly clear" that the Trump administration is attempting to "sabotage diplomacy" and "cover up its economic terrorism against Iran," which has included crippling sanctions.

"I warned of exactly this scenario a few months ago, not because I'm clairvoyant, but because I recognize where the B-Team is coming from," Zarif wrote, referring to a group of officials that consists of U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a statement on Thursday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations called the Trump administration's accusations "unfounded" and said the U.S. is engaged in "false flag operations."

"Neither fabrications and disinformation campaigns nor shamelessly blaming others can change the realities," the statement read. "The U.S. and its regional allies must stop warmongering and put an end to mischievous plots as well as false flag operations in the region."

"Warning, once again, about all of the U.S. coercion, intimidation, and malign behavior," the statement added, "Iran expresses concern over suspicious incidents for the oil tankers that occurred today."