Share
NEW YORK โ Britain has concluded that Iran was responsible for attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday. He said the U.K. would consider taking part in a U.S.-led military effort to bolster the Gulf kingdomโs defenses, while Iranโs president announced plans for a rival Iranian-led security coalition.
The U.K. Conservative prime minister also said the he would work with allies to โde-escalateโ Middle East tensions that have soared since the Sept. 14 attack on the worldโs largest oil processor and an oil field.
Johnson told reporters flying with him late Sunday to New York for the U.N. General Assembly that now โthe U.K. is attributing responsibility with a very high degree of probability to Iranโ for the attack by drones and cruise missiles.
โWe will be working with our American friends and our European friends to construct a response that tries to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf region,โ Johnson said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi later criticized Johnsonโs comments and said Britain should stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia amid its war in Yemen, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.
Shortly before leaving for the U.N. meetings Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will invite โall littoral states of the Persian Gulfโ to join an Iranian-led coalition โto guarantee the regionโs security.โ
His remarks were broadcast on state television.
Rouhani said the plan โ details of which he will present at the United Nations โ is not limited to โsecurityโ but also encompasses economic cooperation and an initiative for โlong-termโ peace.
Johnson Stressed the Need for a Diplomatic Response
Iranโs president had already called on Western powers Sunday to leave the security of the Persian Gulf to regional nations led by Tehran.
Johnson said he would meet Rouhani at this weekโs high-level U.N. gathering. Johnson is also due to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. He said he wanted Britain to be โa bridge between our European friends and the Americans when it comes to the crisis in the Gulf.โ
The U.S. and Europe have diverged sharply on how to deal with Iran. European nations, including Britain, still adhere to an international deal designed to limit Iranโs nuclear ambitions, but Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the agreement.
Johnson stressed the need for a diplomatic response to the Gulf tensions, but said Britain would consider any request for military help. The Trump administration announced Friday that it would send additional U.S. troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as part of a โdefensiveโ deployment. Officials said the number of troops was likely to be in the hundreds.
โWe will be following that very closely,โ Johnson said. โAnd clearly if we are asked, either by the Saudis or by the Americans, to have a role, then we will consider in what way we could be useful. We will consider in what way we could be useful, if asked, depending on what the exact plan is.โ
A U.K. official told The Associated Press that a claim of responsibility for the attacks by Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen was โimplausible.โ He said remnants of Iran-made cruise missiles were found at the attack site, and โthe sophistication points very, very firmly to Iranian involvement.โ He spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings.
The official did not say whether Britain believed the attack was launched from Iranian soil.
Iran denies responsibility and has warned any retaliatory attack targeting it will result in an โall-out war.โ

Rouhani Referred to a New Round of U.S. Sanctions on Iranโs Central Bank
On Monday, Rouhani said the U.S. was exaggerating the scale of damage wrought by the attacks on Saudi Arabiaโs oil company and using it as an excuse to send more troops and equipment to the kingdom.
โIt is clear that they would like to completely take hold of eastern Saudi Arabiaโs oil,โ he said.
Many of the sanctions had applied before Tehranโs 2015 nuclear deal with world powers promised to lift them, in exchange for curbing the countryโs atomic program.
โThis means the U.S. is completely desperate,โ he said, suggesting the U.S. had little leverage left over Iran.
Meanwhile Monday, Iranโs government spokesman Ali Rabiei said legal proceedings against a British-flagged oil tanker held by Tehran since July have concluded, though he doesnโt know when the vessel will leave.
However, the Stena Impero has not turned on its satellite-tracking beacon in 58 days nor has there been any sign that it has left its position off the Iranian coast near the port city of Bandar Abbas. Stena Bulk, the shipโs Swedish owners, also has not said anything about the shipโs departure.
Iranโs Revolutionary Guard seized the Stena Impero in July after authorities in Gibraltar seized an Iranian crude oil tanker. That ship has since left Gibraltar, leading to hopes the Stena Impero would be released.
[activecampaign form=29]
Giants Suffer Second Straight Shutout Loss to Reds
42 minutes ago
Curry Scores 25 as the Warriors Cruise Past the Suns in West Playoff Race
48 minutes ago
Fresno Police Issue Over 100 Citations in Distracted Driving Crackdown
2 hours ago
Why Did So Many People Delude Themselves About Trump?
22 minutes ago
Nuggets Fire Coach Malone and Wonโt Extend GM Booth in Stunning Move
23 minutes ago
Former MLB Pitcher Octavio Dotel Dies in Dominican Republic Nightclub Collapse
27 minutes ago
Valley Crime Stoppersโ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Israel Trinidad Gallardo
28 minutes ago
Luka Doncic Gets Ejected the Night Before His Return to Dallas
32 minutes ago
Trumpโs Trade War Escalates as China and Europe Hit Back
34 minutes ago
Wood Has 2 Homers as Nats Win For First Home Series Victory Over Dodgers Since 2014
38 minutes ago
Giants Suffer Second Straight Shutout Loss to Reds
42 minutes ago
Curry Scores 25 as the Warriors Cruise Past the Suns in West Playoff Race
48 minutes ago
Fresno Police Issue Over 100 Citations in Distracted Driving Crackdown
2 hours ago
Why Did So Many People Delude Themselves About Trump?
22 minutes ago
Nuggets Fire Coach Malone and Wonโt Extend GM Booth in Stunning Move
23 minutes ago
Former MLB Pitcher Octavio Dotel Dies in Dominican Republic Nightclub Collapse
27 minutes ago
Valley Crime Stoppersโ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Israel Trinidad Gallardo
28 minutes ago
Luka Doncic Gets Ejected the Night Before His Return to Dallas
32 minutes ago
Trumpโs Trade War Escalates as China and Europe Hit Back
34 minutes ago
Wood Has 2 Homers as Nats Win For First Home Series Victory Over Dodgers Since 2014
38 minutes ago
Giants Suffer Second Straight Shutout Loss to Reds
42 minutes ago
Curry Scores 25 as the Warriors Cruise Past the Suns in West Playoff Race
48 minutes ago
Fresno Police Issue Over 100 Citations in Distracted Driving Crackdown
2 hours ago

Trump Administration Freezes $1 Billion for Cornell and $790 Million for Northwestern

Why Did So Many People Delude Themselves About Trump?

Nuggets Fire Coach Malone and Wonโt Extend GM Booth in Stunning Move

Former MLB Pitcher Octavio Dotel Dies in Dominican Republic Nightclub Collapse

Valley Crime Stoppersโ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Israel Trinidad Gallardo

Luka Doncic Gets Ejected the Night Before His Return to Dallas
