Iran’s foreign minister has labeled the reported attack on two “Japan-related” oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as “suspicious,” occurring just as Japanese Prime Minister Abe came to Tehran for major talks.

Expressing his misgivings on Twitter, Javad Zarif noted that the incidents on the two vessels on Thursday, one of which had been reportedly struck by a torpedo, had occurred as Abe sat down for “extensive and friendly” discussions with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah @khamenei_ir for extensive and friendly talks. Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning. Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 13, 2019

Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning

Later in the day, Japanese shipping company Kokuka Sangyo confirmed that one of its vessels had been hit in today’s attack while transporting 25,000 tons of methanol.

The statement came after Iran said it rescued 44 sailors from two tankers named as Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous. One of them was reportedly hit with a torpedo, but there is no official statement on the claim.

Also on rt.com Iran says it rescued 44 sailors after 2 tankers were ‘reportedly attacked’ in Gulf of Oman

In May, four oil tankers were targeted off the coast of the UAE, with exact details of the incident still shrouded in secrecy. Bolton has laid the blame for the assault on Iran, yet Washington, to date, has failed to provide any evidence of complicity.

Also on rt.com Pompeo blames Iran for attack on tankers in Gulf of Oman

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