Iran denies tankers attack as tensions soar

Iran has dismissed the Friday accusations by the US that it carried out twin attacks that left two tankers ablaze in the gulf of Oman, escalating tensions across the region and sending world oil prices soaring.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo had warned that Washington would defend its forces and allies in the region, and the United States pressed its case as the UN security council met to address the incident.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the US administration had jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.

He accused it of seeking to sabotage diplomacy amid a visit to Iran by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and cover up its economic terrorism against Iran in enforcing crippling unilateral sanctions.

With tensions spiraling between Iran and the United States, the European Union called for maximum restrain and UN Chief Antonio Guterres warned the world cannot afford a major confrontation in the gulf.