Iran dismisses G7's tanker attack allegations as 'baseless'

Tehran, Aug 8 (IANS) Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday dismissed as "baseless" the recent Group of Seven (G7)'s allegations over a tanker attack, according to the ministry's website.On Friday, the foreign ministers of G7, including Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the high representative of the European Union, accused Iran of being behind a "reportedly" drone attack on July 29 against an Israel-linked oil tanker in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman, which killed a British national and a Romanian national, Xinhua reported."We strongly condemn the baseless statement by the G7 foreign ministers... in which baseless allegations have been made against the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Khatibzadeh called the incident as a "scenario" which took place a few days before the inauguration of the new president of Iran.
Such "baseless scenarios" are designed to confuse the political climate, he was quoted as saying.The Islamic Republic is fully committed to securing the strategic waterway of the Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz, considers it as part of its own security and will not hesitate defending its sovereign right, he said.In the meantime, Iran is "ready to cooperate with the regional countries in establishing a collective security system in the region," he added.
--IANS int/pgh