Tehran: lifting the sanctions before the dialogue .. And accusing us of blowing up ships is a funny claim

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani said Wednesday that talks with the United States were possible and that "the door was not closed if the United States lifted sanctions and carried out its obligations" under the nuclear deal.

The statement coincides with the Iranian foreign ministry's denials by US national security adviser John Bolton, who said attacks on oil tankers off the UAE coast earlier this month were carried out using "almost certainly naval mines from Iran."

Tehran considered that Bolton's accusations against Tehran of the events in Fujairah were "just a funny allegation caused by the hostility of Iran."

"Bolton and those who are embroiled in the war know that we are ready to respond decisively to any attack," the Foreign Ministry said. "We will not allow Bolton and his allies in the region to create chaos and their illusions will not be realized."

Bolton said in a meeting with reporters organized by the US embassy in the UAE capital on Wednesday that the four ships were attacked using "marine mines almost certainly from Iran."

"There is no doubt in Washington about who is responsible," Bolton said, following up "in your opinion, did that?

Deter Iran
The UAE, which has not accuse anyone of being behind the incident, is investigating Saudi Arabia, Norway, France and the United States.

Four ships (two Saudi oil tankers, one Norwegian oil tanker and one UAE cargo ship) were damaged in "sabotage" off the emirate of Fujairah off the Strait of Hormuz this month, according to Abu Dhabi.

The incident - which is rare - occurred in the UAE amid intense tension in the region because of a row between Iran and the United States over the tightening of US oil sanctions on Tehran.

Two days later, two pumping stations for the pipeline of a president transporting oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to the west, were attacked by unmanned drones launched by the Houthis.

According to the official, "there was a failed attack on the port of Yanbu Saudi two days before the attack on tankers."

Bolton did not give details of the attack on Yanbu, a major oil city in the west of the kingdom, on the Red Sea.

"I support what we have done so far, which is to make clear to Iran and its proxies that this kind of action can lead to a very strong response from the United States," Bolton said.

Tension between the United States and Iran has grown since US President Donald Trump withdrew from a nuclear deal signed with major powers aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear activities.

The Trump administration tightened sanctions on Iran, particularly targeting its main oil exports and bolstering its military presence in the Gulf, accusing the Islamic Republic of threatening US forces and interests.