CAIRO, August 4. /TASS/. The Asphalt Princess tanker was attacked by unidentified individuals who tried to hijack it off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, according to the statement by Oman’s Maritime Security Center of the sultanate’s Defense Ministry made public on Wednesday.

"The Center received information that the Asphalt Princess tanker sailing under Panama’s flag was the target of a hijacking attempt in the Gulf of Oman," the statement published on the Defense Ministry’s Twitter page said. 

The agency also specified that "Oman’s Air Force aircraft, as well as the vessels of Oman’s fleet in coordination with other regional centers, thoroughly monitor the situation in the area where the incident occurred <...> in order to ensure safe navigation in the region."

On Tuesday, the British Sky News TV channel, citing sources in the UK security agencies, reported the seizure of the Asphalt Princess tanker near the coast of the UAE. According to the sources of the Times newspaper, the British intelligence services consider that the Iranian navy or militant groups backed by Iran may have been involved in the incident. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh completely rejected the speculations that the Iranian military boarded any ships.