TEHRAN – The suspicious acts against the oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman go along with U.S. economic sanctions against Iran, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday.

Speaking during a parliament session, Larijani said the oil tankers incident has all the markings of being conducted by the United States.

After the U.S. failed to reach its goals through sanctions on the Islamic Republic, it is resorting to such acts, Larijani said.

“Suspicious acts in the Sea of Oman against oil tankers… seem to be supplementary to the [US] economic sanctions as the Americans went nowhere with the sanctions, [also,] especially, given America’s historical record in the area [of false flag ops],” Larijani remarked.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also said attacks on oil tankers is the “Plan B” of the U.S. and its regional allies against Iran.

On Thursday, two oil tankers – one sailing under a Panama flag and owned by Japan and another bearing the Marshall Islands’ ensign owned by Norwegian Frontline – were targeted in the Sea of Oman. Iranian rescuers rushed to the assistance, transferring all of their 44 crew members to Iran’s southern shores.

The incident took place while Japan’s prime minister was holding a meeting with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Abe visited Tehran on Wednesday and Thursday. He became the first Japanese leader to visit Iran in more than four decades.

Following the incident, Pompeo accused Iran of carrying out the attacks without providing any evidence to back up his accusation.

“It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman,” Pompeo said.

‘Really cute’

Larijani also said, “The satirical part of the story lies within Pompeo’s remarks in which he advised Iran to use diplomacy in response to diplomatic moves,” adding, “Such comment, coming out of Mr. Pompeo’s mouth, is really cute.”

Larijani explained that there is nothing diplomatic in Washington’s policy of maximum pressure campaign and its economic terrorism against Tehran.

“Is violating commitments and waging an economic war against Iran a diplomatic move?” he asked Pompeo.

The Majlis speaker further argued that the U.S. measures in Venezuela, or its arming of Saudi Arabia in their war against Yemen, or its support of the Israeli regime in its aggression against the Palestinians are not diplomatic moves.

MH/PA