ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Two more oil tankers were attacked in the Middle East last week, bringing to six the number of oil tankers attacked by Iran (“Trump blames Iran for tanker attacks but calls for talks,” Web, June 15).

Iran is attempting to get the United States to lift its crippling economic sanctions, which have severely restricted Iranian oil shipments. Iran is trying to interdict oil shipments from competing countries in the region and could be trying to drive up world oil prices, but this strategy runs the risk of the United States and other countries taking military action against Iran.

The United States and other affected countries should put an end to the Iranian attacks on the oil tankers by conducting mine-sweeping operations in the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. Affected countries should provide naval escorts to the tankers. If necessary, Iranian naval forces should be neutralized — and while we’re at it, we could take out Iran’s strategic weapons systems.

DONALD MOSKOWITZ

Londonderry, N.H.

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