World reacts as two tankers ‘attacked’ in Sea of Oman

Hours after two tankers were reportedly attacked in the Sea of Oman, a flurry of international reactions poured in from various countries, companies, and political figures as well as financial markets, the gist of which follows.

Russia: Don't use tanker attacks to pressure Iran

On Thursday, Russia warned against rushing to apportion blame for the suspected attack, and said the incident should not be used to stoke tensions with Iran.

"I would take the opportunity to warn against hasty conclusions, against attempts to lay the blame at the door of those we don't like," Russia's RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

"Lately, we have been seeing a strengthening campaign of political, psychological, and military pressure on Iran. We wouldn't want the events that have just happened, which are tragic and shook the world oil market, to be used speculatively to further aggravate the situation in an anti-Iranian sense," he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov likewise said it was too early to draw any conclusions because of the lack of information, saying, "No one knows what is behind it."

Oil prices hike, bonds droop

The incident spiked oil prices as much as four percent.

Brent crude futures were up $1.91, or 3.18 percent, at $61.88 a barrel by 10:39 GMT after rising as much as 4.45 percent to $62.64. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up $1.42, or 2.78 percent, at $52.56 a barrel. Earlier, WTI had gone up as much as 3.85 percent to $53.11. 

International bonds issued by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council’s states were, meanwhile, weakened, pointing to apparent investor apprehension. 

Saudi Arabia's bonds due in 2049 were down over 0.6 cents in early trade while $3 billion in bonds issued by state oil giant Saudi Aramco, also due in 2049 , were down by roughly one cent on the dollar, Reuters reported. The Saudi main exchange, Tadawul, was also down 1.5 percent.

UN warns against conflict

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the world cannot afford "a major confrontation in the [Persian] Gulf region." 

The UN chief made the remarks while addressing a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States.

"I strongly condemn any attack against civilian vessels. Facts must be established and responsibilities clarified," he said.

During the same meeting, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called on the UN Security Council to act against parties responsible for the attacks to maintain security in the Gulf region.

"Some parties in the region are trying to instigate fires in the region and we must be aware of that," he claimed without specifically naming anyone.

EU urges ‘maximum restraint’

Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, said the bloc was still gathering information on the incident.

"The region does not need further elements of destabilization and tensions and therefore her (Mogherini's) call and our call continues to be for maximum restraint and to avoid any provocations," Kocijancic added.

Tanker owner rejects vessel sank

The owner of Front Altair, one of the vessels involved, meanwhile, told AFP that the Norwegian tanker was still afloat, rejecting reports that it has sunken.

The company’s chief executive, Robert Hvide Macleod, added that the 23 crewmembers were "all safe."

The director general of Ports and Maritime Department in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan, Allah-Morad Afifipour, also said none of the two involved tankers -- one sailing under a Panama flag and another bearing the Marshall Islands’ ensign -- had sunken during the incident.

The first tanker’s 21 crewmembers will return to the vessel after completion of required safety operations, the Iranian official said, and added that the second tanker’s 23 crewmembers were in perfect health and had been transferred to Iran’s Jask port.

Tankers attack suspicious, regional dialogue imperative: Zarif

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the attack on two tankers in the Sea of Oman amid a landmark visit by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Iran is suspicions, calling for the promotion of dialogue among regional countries.

Taking to his official Twitter page on Thursday, hours after the attacks occurred, Iran's top diplomat said, “Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning.”

Highlighting the fact that attacked tankers were bound for Japan, Zarif noted, “Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah @khamenei_ir for extensive and friendly talks.”

SS