Iran’s national shipping company announced today (Friday) that an Iranian container ship called the Shahara Kurd was the victim of a terrorist attack. Shipping company spokesman Ali Gihassi said it was an “act of piracy” and that the Iranian government would investigate the attack.
“Such terrorist attacks are equivalent to acts of maritime piracy and are contrary to international law for the security of shipping in international waters. Legal action will be taken with the aim of destroying who is behind the attack,” Gihasi said.
According to reports in Iran, the ship was only slightly damaged when an explosive device exploded on board the containers and caused a small fire, which was extinguished by crew members. No one was injured in the blast and the ship, which the Iranians claimed was making its way to a European port, continued to its destination.
Social media surfers reported yesterday an attack on an Iranian container ship in the Mediterranean, a claim that was initially ignored by the Iranian institutionalized media. On social media in Iran, they were quick to accuse Israel of attacking Iranian transport in the Mediterranean.
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Israel had carried out a series of attacks on Iranian ships carrying oil and weapons to Syria. The newspaper quoted officials in the US administration and the defense establishment. According to the report, during 2019 alone, at least 19 attacks were carried out on Iranian ships, some from oil tankers and others cargo ships, which made their way from Iran to Syrian ports, government officials told the newspaper.
“Israel is weaker than ever”
Meanwhile, Iran continues to use aggressive rhetoric towards Israel. The commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, Ismail Kaani, attacked Israel in a speech at a memorial service for the organization’s victims that Iran “will break down the walls that Israel is building around it.”
“Israel today, like its ally the United States, is weaker than ever. It is building a warm environment around it, hoping they will protect it, but we will break it and bring it down,” Kaaani said.
“Today, as we can see, the United States is suffering from severe internal problems. As students of the martyr Qassem Suleimani, we will continue on his path and break the bones of the United States,” Kaani added.