Britain, Romania, and Liberia File Complaint with Security Council Against ‘Iran’s Attack on Tanker’

Britain, Romania, and Liberia have written a letter to the Security Council requesting action regarding the attack on the Mercer Street tanker. Israel is expected to provide “evidence of the attack” on the tanker to Security Council ambassadors.

Britain, Romania, and Liberia have filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The three countries mentioned in a letter written to the Security Council on Tuesday, August 3, stated that Iran “most likely” used one or more unmanned aircraft to carry out a deadly attack on the “Mercer Street” tanker last Thursday off the coast of the Oman Sea.

Reuters news agency, which has seen the letter from these countries to the Security Council, reported that in this letter, these countries wrote that the attack on the Mercer Street tanker endangered international maritime security and was a clear violation of international law. All three countries requested that this action be condemned by the international community.

During the attack on the Mercer Street tanker, which is said to have been carried out by two drones, two crew members of the tanker were killed, a British citizen and a Romanian citizen.

The original owner of the tanker is Japan, but the vessel was managed by the Israeli company Zodiac and sailed under the Liberian flag.

Iran has denied any involvement in the attack on the tanker.

Diplomats said Britain is expected to raise the issue of the attack on the Mercer Street tanker in a closed-door meeting of the Security Council in the coming days.

The Council is scheduled to meet by chance on August 9 under the presidency of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, who holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, to discuss maritime security.

Britain, Liberia, and Romania emphasized in their letter to the Security Council that these three countries, along with regional and international partners, are conducting a thorough investigation into the attack on the tanker and will soon provide the latest information to the Security Council.

Israel also previously wrote separately to the United Nations Security Council and called for the United Nations to condemn Iran. Israel said it would continue all necessary measures to protect its citizens.

Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, said: “Iran’s hostile and relentless activities endanger the region and beyond, and we expect the Security Council to take concrete and decisive action to counter these growing threats.”

The Israeli newspaper Times of Israel reported that Yair Lapid, Foreign Minister, and Benny Gantz, Defense Minister of Israel, are scheduled to meet with ambassadors of Security Council member countries in Israel on Wednesday, August 4, and will provide them with evidence of “Iran’s involvement” in the attack on the Mercer Street tanker.

The United States and Britain previously announced on Sunday, August 1, that they would cooperate with their allies to “respond to this attack.”

The NATO military alliance and the European Union also joined the growing international condemnation regarding the suspected attack by Iran on an Israeli ship in the Arabian Sea. They called on Iran to adhere to its international obligations.

Concurrently with these developments, Reuters news agency reported, citing security sources, that “Iran-backed forces” have reportedly “seized” a tanker off the coast of the Emirates.

According to this report, citing two maritime security sources, the ship “Asphalt Princess,” which was sailing under the Panamanian flag carrying bitumen and asphalt, was hijacked by Iranian-affiliated militias in the Arabian Sea.

Said Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, denied this news in a conversation with Tesneem news agency.

Source: DW