Iraqi MP: Oil tanker attack was US-Israel pre-planned scenario

“The recent incident, which took place in the Persian Gulf region, was a very strange incident in its kind. Some groups seek to make the region insecure, and that is just what the U.S. and Israel and their regional allies particularly Saudi Arabia want to do,” Member of Iraqi Parliament's National Security and Defense Committee Karim al-Alivi said to ILNA news agency.

He added, “We know that U.S and Israel are enemies of Iran so it is not impossible they launched such attacks and pretend that it is Iran’s job.”

Alivi reiterated that the U.S. and its allies want to exert more pressure on Iran until Tehran accepts their demands. “The Trump administration is looking to “build international consensus” against Iran following attacks on oil tankers and it wants Tehran’s regional allies distanced themselves from Iran.”

On Monday, Abbas Mousavi, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, blamed Riyadh's "wrong policies" for causing the escalating regional tensions, which have caused a spike in oil prices and concerns about conflict in the region.

Mousavi said the kingdom lacked a "proper understanding of the region's dynamics" and followed "an approach based on militarism and causing crises and tension".

The comments by the Iranian foreign ministry on Monday came a day after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), called on the international community to take a "decisive stand" over the attacks - but said the kingdom did not want a war in the region.

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