Iran strongly rejects Israel's claim that Tehran was behind a blast aboard an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said in a televised news conference on Monday.

"We strongly reject this accusation... the security of the Persian Gulf is extremely important for Iran," Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

The remarks come hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran for a blast aboard the MV Helios Ray, a vehicle-carrier ship, but sidestepped a question on whether Israel would retaliate.

The MV Helios Ray was hit between Thursday and Friday morning by a blast above the water line that a US official said ripped holes in both sides of its hull.