- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
TEHRAN, May 30 - Russia says it does not trust claims by US National Security Advisor John Bolton that Iran was engaged in recent “sabotage” attacks targeting vessels off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - On Wednesday, Bolton alleged that the May 12 incident involving four commercial vessels near the port of Fujahrah had been caused by Iranian naval mines, without providing any evidence to substantiate his claim. “I think it is clear these (tanker attacks) were naval mines almost certainly from Iran,” claimed the American official, speaking at a press conference in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov fundamentally questioned the remarks in an interview with Sputnik, which the Russian news agency published on Thursday.
“We've seen countless situations when Americans adjusted certain facts or events to political orders and their own narrow national beliefs of what happens and how it happens, and how something should be done,” Ryabkov said.
“This is not even the UK 'highly likely,' this is something worse. They are just presumptuously imposing their opinion on the whole world or at least trying to do so," he added.
The Russian official also warned that such unfounded statements served to escalate standing tensions. "Such policies are especially dangerous in the Middle East.”
“This is why we will continue calmly making effort to ensure that common sense eventually prevails,” he noted, and advised adoption of “a more sensible approach” where “responsible officials engage in diplomacy rather than propaganda."
Later on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected Bolton’s claim as "ridiculous." Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Moussavi said Bolton and “other warmongers” had to know that the Islamic Republic would patiently and vigilantly work to prevent them from fulfilling “their ominous schemes to create chaos in the region."
Bolton has earned notoriety as the most hawkish figure in the US administration, openly promoting military conflict with Iran and other countries.
Iran has called Bolton a member of the anti-Iran B-Team -- also featuring Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- which is trying hard to target the people of Iran with “economic terrorism.”
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been supportive of the US’s policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran, which has seen Washington returning its sanctions against Tehran, and militarizing the region.
Earlier in the year, the Arab states vowed to make up for potential shortages of Iran’s crude after the US avowed an intention to try to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero” as part of the policy.
Source: Press TV
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