The United States has warned that there will be a “collective response” to an attack on an Israeli-operated tanker in Oman.

The head of American diplomacy, Antoine Blink, promised Monday a “collective response“With his allies against Iran, following the deadly attack on an oil tanker operated by a company of Israeli billionaires in the Arabian Sea.

“We are in very close contact, coordinating with the UK, Israel, Romania and other countries. And there will be a collective response“Blinken told reporters, who the day before he accused Iran of having carried out this attack, which left two dead.

Blinken reiterated that the United States concluded that Iran was behind the attack on “MT Mercer Street”, led by a prominent Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, occurred Thursday off the coast of Oman.

The operator of the vessel, Maritime Zodiac, reported the death of a British security guard and a Romanian crew member. According to this operator and the US military, the attack was carried out with a drone.

The US Secretary of State called the incident “Direct threat to the freedom of navigation and commerce”but downplayed suggestions that this showed a tightening of Iranian policy under Ibrahim Raisi, the ultra-conservative who officially begins his four-year term at the helm of Iran on Tuesday.

“We have seen a number of actions taken by Iran over the past few months, including against shipping, so I’m not sure this particular action is anything new or portends something in a way. or another about the new government. “Blinken said, adding: “But what he is saying is that Iran continues to act with enormous irresponsibility.”

UK summons Iranian ambassador to London

The UK government on Monday summoned Iranian Ambassador to London Mohsen Baharvand to denounce the “illegal attack” on July 29 against the tanker.

The British Foreign Office said in a statement that London had transferred to Baharvand that the Iranian regime “Actions which endanger international peace and security must cease immediately.”

He also pointed out that “Ships must be able to navigate freely, in accordance with international law”, hours after Iran warned the US and UK against applying any kind of measure against Tehran and reiterated that he was not involved in the event.

The United States, United Kingdom, Israel and Romania accused of being behind the attack on the ‘Mercer Street‘, which resulted in the deaths of two crew members –a british and a romanian– and that it would have been executed with a drone, according to the preliminary assessment of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).

For its part, the Persian regime promised Monday to respond to any “adventurism” against it, after US, UK, Israel threaten to replicate deadly attack.

Iranian authorities on Sunday denied any connection to the attack that took place last Thursday with “explosive dronesAccording to Washington.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not hesitate to protect its security and national interests and will respond immediately, firmly and firmly to any eventual act of adventurism.Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesman Said Jatibzadeh said.

In recent months they have recorded many attacks vs Israeli ships given the increased tensions between the two countries, which also included sabotage of Iranian nuclear installations.

Israel views Tehran as an existential threat and intermittently bombs Iranian and allied militia positions in Syria and opposes the ongoing negotiations for the United States and Europe to save the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

After the attack on “Mercer Street”, the Israeli Foreign Ministry initiated a series of contacts to achieve “An international and effective response“What he considers ‘Iranian terrorism’.

The maneuver quickly paid off. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday, Sunday, that the United States “is sure Iran carried out the attack” and you work with your partners to “consider the next steps” and determine the “appropriate response”.

“There is no justification for this patterned attack and other belligerent behavior. These acts threaten the freedom of navigation, as well as international trade and the lives of people on board ships, ”said Blinken.

For its part, the British government has deemed “highly likely” that the Iranian regime is responsible and is seeking with his allies at the international level to agree on a “concerted response” to the attack, which he described as “illegal, ruthless and deliberate”.

The same measure was also adopted today by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, which said “it reserves the right to act accordingly”.

US and UK staged clashes with Iran in the Persian Gulf. In the summer of 2019, the Iranians shot down an American drone for allegedly violating their airspace and arrested a British oil tanker in retaliation for the seizure in Gibraltar of another Iranian.

(With information from AFP, Europa Press and EFE)

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