U.S. Senator Graham: attacks on ships in Middle East coordinated by Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Tuesday that top administration officials told senators in a briefing the recent attacks on shipping and a pipeline in the Middle East was directed by the Iranian government and the ayatollah.

"They explained to us how the Iranian threat streams were different than in the past, that the attack on the ships and the pipeline was coordinated and directed by the Iranian government, the ayatollah," Graham told reporters.

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Eric Beech)