US National Security Adviser John Bolton claimed that the oil tankers in the UAE were “almost certainly” damaged by Iranian naval mines.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied accusations of Tehran being involved in the attack on the UAE-based oil tankers — allegations that were earlier levelled by the US national security adviser. He called the claims “ludicrous” and accused National Security Adviser John Bolton and “other warmongers” of plotting against Iran.
He further stated that certain people are trying to push the US into a war with Iran in a bid to attain their goals. The deputy minister noted that Iran is ready for war with the US, but would prefer to begin a dialogue instead.
“We are fully prepared for both scenarios. War would be a disaster for everybody in the region. We hope that wisdom will prevail in Washington, that they do not make this biggest mistake in the region ever. But we are fully prepared for that scenario”, Araghchi said.
The deputy minister also reiterated President Donald Trump’s statement that the US does not want war with Iran, stating that Washington must first take steps to prove this claim.
“But what matters for us are actions, not words. We expect them to take actions, words are not enough”, he said.
At the same time, Araghchi said that at the moment Tehran is planning no talks, neither direct, nor indirect, with Washington while being “under pressure”. Araghchi added that the US must provide compensation for the losses that Iran has incurred over the last year due to Washington’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal.
“What we expect them [to do] is to respect the JCPOA, to compensate Iran’s losses. and to respect Iran’s rights in the deal”, the deputy minister said.