Damaged Iranian Tanker Enters Iranian Waters

An Iranian tanker damaged in the Red Sea two weeks ago has entered Iranian territorial waters, the official IRNA news agency reported on Monday, citing information from the National Iranian Tanker Company.

The tanker will dock at Kharg Island in two days, the report said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said last week that the tanker, the Sabiti, had been hit by at least two rockets, and there is video footage of the incident.

The attack was undoubtedly carried out by a government and there would be consequences, Rouhani said last week.

Iranian authorities reported that the Iranian-owned oil tanker was struck off Saudi Arabia’s coast. There has been no independent report on the cause of the damage.

Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia has said it was not behind any attack on the tanker. Saudi authorities said they received a distress message from the vessel, but that it had switched off its transponder before they could assist.

Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh