The United Arab Emirates has broken with its U.S. and Saudi allies in declining to blame Iran for an apparent attack on four tankers last month, citing a lack of proof.
Speaking at a press conference alongside his Russian counterpart in Moscow, U.A.E. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said Wednesday that “we cannot point the finger in blaming any country for the attacks that recently hit four tankers in our territorial waters because we do not have evidence.” He added: “If there are any countries with clearer evidence, then the international community will certainly listen to them.”
Sheikh Abdullah emphasized, however, that such information would need to be “clear, accurate, scientific and convincing to the international community” as cited by his ministry.