. US accuses Iran of attacking 2 oil tankers in Gulf of Oman

June 13, 2019 A grab from Iranian state TV that it says shows smoke billowing from one of two tankers that sent out distress calls in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday. Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images Two oil tankers have been hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman and the crews evacuated, a month […]

Russians rescued after Gulf of Oman tanker incident have no injuries – RIA

By REUTERS June 13, 2019 16:03   MOSCOW – Russian crew members rescued after a suspected attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman are safe and uninjured, RIA news agency reported, citing the Russian embassy in Iran. Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday left one ablaze and both adrift, shipping firms said, […]

King Abdullah of Jordan fears that old allies are ditching him

And it is not just America “WE ARE ALL King Abdullah.” So said the official campaign to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the king’s accession to the throne in Jordan. But the turnout on February 7th suggested that few agreed with the sentiment. Even trays heaped with mansaf, lamb stewed in yogurt, could not rouse […]

Khamenei refuses to accept message from Trump carried by Abe

“I don’t consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with. I have no response for him and will not answer him,” Ali Khamenei told Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in footage of their meeting aired by state television on Thursday. The supreme leader made the remark when Abe told him he was carrying a […]

Iranian FM tries to throw suspicion for tanker incident elsewhere

Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif tweeted Thursday that the “reported attacks on Japan-related” oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman took place while Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was meeting supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,” Zarif tweeted. “Iran’s proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative.”

IDF strikes Hamas target after rocket fire on Israel

A Hamas official told Israel national brodcaster KAN that the Israelis are not living up to their commitments, warning if the ceasefire understandings are not fulfilled the situation will only get worse Published:  06.13.19 , 08:51   IDF attacked a Hamas tunnel in the Gaza Strip overnight Wednesday, in retaliation for a rocket launch towards […]

Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt call for a cease-fire in Libya

Published:  06.13.19 , 13:31 Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt have expressed their “deep concern” over the chaotic situation in Libya and called for an immediate cease-fire in the country.   The foreign affairs ministers of the three countries, all neighboring Libya, held a meeting on Wednesday in Tunisia’s capital Tunis.   In a statement released overnight, […]

Attack on ships in Gulf of Oman occurred near Iran’s Jask navy base

The base gave Iran an easy way to threaten the Straits of Hormuz and potentially cut off a fifth of the world’s oil supply. Seth J. Frantzman June 13, 2019 13:55 The alleged attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman occurred just forty miles off the coast of a secretive Iranian naval […]

Putin: US-Russia Relations Deteriorating and Becoming Worse and Worse

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that after the upcoming G20 forum in Japan, Moscow and Washington would be able to achieve constructive solutions that would create conditions for economic cooperation. “We really hope that common sense will finally prevail. I hope that, together with our partners, including US partners, we will […]

Amid Reports of Explosions in Gulf, Iran Threatens ‘Crushing Response’ to any U.S. Attacks

CHARLES BYBELEZER 06/13/2019 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned of a “crushing response” to any U.S. military attacks, but qualified that his country was not seeking war with the “Great Satan.” Rouhani made his statements alongside visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is in Tehran to mediate between the Trump Administration and the Islamic Republic […]

Turkey Slams Pentagon’s Ultimatum on S-400, Refuses to Reverse Decision

Earlier, the Pentagon grounded Turkish pilots training aboard the F-35 and threatened to block deliveries of the advanced jet to Turkey, while Congress proposed slapping sanctions on Ankara over its S-400 purchase. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that ‘nobody’ is in a position to give Turkey ultimatums regarding its policy when asked to comment […]

Netanyahu Warns of Further Pre-emptive Strikes in Syria

CHARLES BYBELEZER 06/13/2019 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to continue pre-emptively striking targets in Syria just hours after Israel allegedly fired missiles at a Syrian army base located near the shared border. “The chain of tests that we are dealing with is unending. We respond vigorously and with force to all attacks against us,” Netanyahu […]

US will be responsible if Iran nuclear deal collapses: Russian diplomat

A senior Russian diplomat has urged the US to stop using “methods of blatant blackmail and intimidation” aimed at forcing Iran out of a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, saying Washington will be responsible if the accord collapses. In a statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Wednesday, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to […]

Timeline and details: June 13 Gulf of Oman tanker “attack”

On June 13 a major incident involving two oil tankers took place in the Gulf of Oman off the Iranian port of Jask (بندر جاسک). This port also serves as an Iranian naval base and a center for drones and submarines. The two ships that were allegedly targeted were within 20 miles of Jask, according […]