LIVE UPDATES: Iran Warns US to Stop ‘Blame Game’ Over Tanker Attacks in Gulf of Oman

Frontline shipping firm expects a full salvage team and managers to arrive at Front Altair tanker hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday to assess damages, company spokesman Pat Adamson said Friday in a statement obtained by Sputnik.

"One further salvage tug is expected on scene with an ETA of 1300 hours today, June 14 equipped with salvage fire-fighting and towing capability. A further specialist team which consists of full salvage team and ship management personnel is expected to arrive 15 June for full assessment of the damages," the statement read.

The company said that the fire on the vessel had been extinguished and the tanker was stable.

"All 23 crew members of the ‘Front Altair’ are safe and doing well. Following their disembarkation from the Iranian naval vessel at the Iranian port of Jask the crew are on their way to Bandar Abbas prior to repatriation," the statement read.

"The incident occurred when [Japanese] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran and met with our Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]. Someone is behind this to implicate Iran. It is the United States," Iran’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Eshagh Al Habib told the Japanese NHK broadcaster.

A source in the Russian Foreign Ministry voiced the belief in a comment for Sputnik on Friday that it was premature to accuse Iran of being behind the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as judgments should be made only following investigation.

Two oil tankers, Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous, were hit by explosions on Thursday. While the cause of the blasts remains unknown, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo immediately accused Iran of being behind the attack. Iran denied being involved in the case, stressing that Washington's claims were unsubstantiated.

"It is too early [to draw conclusions]. We have to look into the incident, carry out a probe and see what its results show," the source said.