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Iran ‘strongly rejects’ Israeli accusation it attacked ship
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Iran ‘strongly rejects’ Israeli accusation it attacked ship

Israel has alleged Iran is responsible for last week’s mysterious explosion on MV Helios Ray in Gulf of Oman.

International

Iran’s foreign ministry has “strongly rejected” Israel’s claim that it was responsible for last week’s blast on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the accusation in an interview that aired on Monday with Israeli public broadcaster Kan – but offered no evidence for his claim.

The MV Helios Ray, a vehicle-carrier ship, was hit overnight on Friday by a blast above the waterline that a US official said ripped holes in both sides of its hull. The vessel docked at Dubai’s port for repairs on Sunday. It remains unclear what caused the blast.

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Iran’s foreign ministry said Netanyahu’s recent remarks stem from his “obsessive” behaviour towards the country.

“The source of these allegations itself lacks credibility the most,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the foreign ministry’s spokesman, said in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.

He said Iran considers recent Israeli actions in the region “suspicious” and reserves the right to respond decisively, while also reiterating Tehran’s stance that it never has and never will seek nuclear weapons.

Earlier, Iran’s hardline Kayhan daily alleged the Helios Ray was “possibly” on an “espionage” mission in the region, without offering any evidence to support the claim.