Israel Distracting Attention from Its Crimes, Iran Envoy Says on Tanker Attack Accusation
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations lashed out at the Zionist regime for playing victim to draw attention away from its crimes in Palestine by making the unfounded accusation of Tehran’s role in a recent attack on an Israeli-managed ship.
Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations, Zahra Ershadi, made the remarks in a statement on Friday after a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council on a recent incident for an Israeli-operated oil tanker in the Sea of Oman.
The Iranian envoy's comments came in reaction to a highly provocative statement by Israel’s minister of military affairs Benny Gantz, who said on Thursday that the regime was prepared to strike Iran, issuing a blatant threat against the Islamic Republic.
“Immediately following this event, Israeli officials accused Iran of the incident. This is what they usually do. It is a standard practice of the Israeli regime. Its aim is to divert attention of the world public opinion from the regime’s crimes and inhumane practices in the region. To that end, they accuse others of wrongdoing. In almost all incidents in the Middle East, Israel accuses Iran. They do it immediately and provide no evidence. Playing victim, lying and deception are part of their toolbox,” Ershadi said.
She also noted that the Israeli regime’s hue and cry on the Mercer Street incident was aimed, in particular, at concealing its terrorist acts against commercial navigation.
The Iranian envoy then referred to reports by the Syrian government and mainstream media outlets that Israel attacked at least 10 oil tankers en route to Syria during the past two years, killing at least two crew members of the targeted vessels.
“These are only a few examples of adventurism and destabilizing activities of the Israeli regime at regional seas. Such unlawful and terrorist acts seriously threaten maritime security, disrupt freedom of navigation and endanger energy security,” she added.
Ershadi also stressed that such attacks by the occupying entity are gross violations of international law and the UN Charter and “shall not go unpunished”, stressing that the UNSC must prevent Israel’s “unbridled adventurism” in the region, and must prove that it is not “trapped” by the regime’s “deceptions and fabrications.”
“We categorically reject the unfounded accusation of Israel on the Mercer Street vessel incident as we have written in our recent letter to the council’s president,” the Iranian envoy stressed, adding that the Tel Aviv regime “cannot whitewash its destabilizing practices and vicious policies by blaming and accusing others.”
Referring to Gantz’s military threat against Iran, Ershadi said that Israel continues to brazenly threaten to use force against regional countries, Press TV reported.
“Iran warns against any such adventurism and miscalculations. Yet, Iran will not hesitate to defend itself and secure its national interests,” she stressed.