U.S. Military Central Command Releases Video Claiming To Show Iranian Forces Removing Mine From Tanker

UPDATE:

The U.S. military's Central Command has released a video it says shows Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the two ships suspected to have been attacked near the Strait of Hormuz.

It released the black-and-white footage early Friday morning.

Capt. Bill Urban, a Central Command spokesman, said a Revolutionary Guard patrol ship removed the limpet mine from the Kokuka Courageous.

Iran has denied involvement in Thursday's suspected attacks amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S.

Urban said in a statement the attacks "are a clear threat to international freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce."

He added: "The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests."

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. believes that Iran is responsible for attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf.

Pompeo said at a news conference Thursday in Washington that the attacks on the ships are part of a "campaign" of "escalating tension" by Iran and a threat to international peace and security.

He said the United States will defend its forces and interests in the region but gave no specifics about any plans and he took no questions.

Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister has described the reported attack on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz as suspicious, since it occurred during a meeting between Japan's prime minister and Iran's supreme leader.

Mohammad Javad Zarif made the comment in a tweet on Thursday: "Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning."

He didn't elaborate.

Zarif described the talks between Shinzo Abe and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as "extensive and friendly."

However, Khamenei said Iran would never negotiate with the U.S. and said that while his country didn't seek nuclear weapons, "America could not do anything" to stop Iran if it did.  

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)