Iran cries 'war crime' after US strikes 3 oil tankers, warns Washington over further escalation

TEHRAN, IRAN: Iran, on Saturday, September 5, sharply condemned the US strikes on three Iranian oil tankers, calling the attacks a “war crime” and warning Washington and its allies that they could face consequences if military action continues.

Tehran’s Foreign Ministry said the strikes amounted to an attack on Iran’s sovereignty and international maritime security, escalating tensions after the US military targeted Iranian commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

Tehran accuses US of 'war crimes'

Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating international law and specifically cited Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against another state.

In its statement, the ministry portrayed the tanker attacks as part of a wider American campaign against Iran, alleging that Washington was combining military pressure with what Tehran described as a naval blockade and economic warfare.

Iranian officials also argued that attacks on commercial shipping could endanger maritime traffic beyond the immediate confrontation.

The ministry said the strikes represented “a clear threat to international peace and the security of commercial navigation.”

Tehran further declared that it would defend what it described as its sovereignty and national interests against American military action, which it labeled “state aggression.”

Iran’s latest statement stopped short of detailing what specific action it might take in response to further US attacks.

Instead, the Foreign Ministry emphasized that Tehran considers itself entitled to defend its sovereignty and national interests.

Pete Hegseth warns Iran against attacking US ships

The Iranian statement came after US forces attacked three Iranian crude oil carriers in waters surrounding the region.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a blunt warning after the strikes about what Washington would do if Iran attacked American vessels.

“It’s simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy and sink their oil tankers. All they have to do is not shoot at US Navy,” Hegseth said.

He added that Iran had no force and was vulnerable to attacks from American military forces.

The confrontation has placed Iranian oil shipments at the center of an increasingly direct military standoff between Tehran and Washington.

With Washington maintaining that attacks on American forces would trigger a forceful response and Tehran warning of consequences for continued US military operations, the dispute over Iranian oil tankers has emerged as another potentially dangerous front in the escalating US-Iran confrontation.