Iranian Gunboat Attacks U.S. Tanker in Persian Gulf

An Iranian gunboat attacked a U.S.-owned and -operated supertanker flying the Liberian flag with grenades in the Persian Gulf today, causing a fire but no injuries, shipping sources and the ship’s crew said.

The tanker Peconic, built in 1974 and operated under a Liberian flag by Universe Tankships (Delaware) Inc. of New York for Gray Shipping Inc., was attacked by an Iranian gunship at 9:50 a.m., the sources said.

A spokesman for Universe Tankships in New York said the ship, owned by Gray’s Shipping, was about 60 miles southeast of Kuwait’s Al Ahmadi oil terminal and was on its way to pick up a cargo of crude oil in Kuwait at the time of the attack.

In Washington, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said: “We deplore and regret the attack. It is an urgent example of the need to end the (Iran-Iraq) war.” But he said the United States does not plan to retaliate militarily.

A Pentagon spokesman called the incident “unfortunate” but said it probably will not affect the Administration’s plans to place 11 Kuwaiti oil tankers under U.S. flags to give them protection from Iranian attacks.

“I know of nothing right now relating to this incident which would change the plan,” Maj. Larry Icenogle said.

He said U.S. forces in the gulf area were not placed at a higher state of alert after the attack on the Peconic, which he said is not officially a U.S. ship since it was flying the Liberian flag.

“They chose to fly a flag of convenience . . . and so that’s at least one thing that differentiates them from any other U.S. carrier,” Icenogle said.

Universe spokesman Thomas Castano said the Peconic normally carries a crew of about 37. He said the attack was the third time a Universe ship had been hit in the Persian Gulf in the last month.