Bodies of the victims of a recent naval incident off Iran’s southern waters arrive in Tehran, May 12, 2020. (Photo by Tasnim)

Iran’s Army has dismissed rumors circulated by certain foreign and adversary media outlets about a recent deadly naval accident in the country’s southern waters as mere propaganda, saying an investigation is still underway to determine all dimensions of the tragedy.

Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Shahin Taghikhani said on Wednesday that reports alleging that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) boats had targeted the Iranian Navy’s Konarak support vessel were absolutely untrue.

On Sunday, 19 Iranian Navy personnel were killed and 15 others injured in the incident involving Konarak during a naval exercise near the waters lying close to Jask and Chabahar ports.

Taghikhani said that enemies were seeking to take advantage of the incidents in Iran to advance their own agenda, adding that the Iranian people are vigilant in the face of such rumors.

These rumors are irrelevant and primitive and should basically be ignored. They are trying every possible way to create a rift among the Armed Forces, including the IRGC, the Army and the Defense Ministry. We must be careful and vigilant, he said.

He also noted that it is quite natural for adversary media outlets to spread rumors as they are attempting to weaken the Iranian Armed Forces.

All aspects of this incident are under investigation and teams of experts are working on it, the Army spokesman stressed.

Cause of incident will be announced: Rouhani

Speaking at a cabinet session on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani assured the Iranian people that they will be informed of the cause of the incident as soon as it is determined.

It was very unfortunate for us that we lost our young Navy personnel in a heart-wrenching accident, he said.

I explicitly and humbly tell the families of the martyrs that the cabinet and the whole government share their grief and tragedy, he added.

SOURCE: PRESS TV