The United Arab Emirates has said that initial findings of an investigation of May 12 attacks on oil tankers point to the likelihood that a state was behind the bombings, but there is no evidence yet that Iran was involved.

The UAE along with Saudi Arabia and Norway presented the preliminary findings during a briefing to the UN Security Council yesterday. UAE told the council that the attacks were sophisticated and of the type most likely carried out by state services.

The four vessels, two Saudi-flagged, a Norwegian-flagged and an Emirati-flagged, were damaged by explosions that took place within UAE territorial waters, off the port of Fujairah.

The US has accused Iran of being behind the attacks, which came at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iran has rejected accusations.