UK, Iran summon diplomats after tanker attack

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A foreign ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, warned that Iran would not hesitate in defending its national interests and would respond to any “possible adventurism”…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK and Iran have summoned each other’s diplomats in a row over last week’s deadly drone attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the north Arabian Sea.

The UK, US and Israel blame Iran for the attack, in which two crew members – a Briton and a Romanian – were killed, the BBC reported.

“The Iranian Ambassador to the UK, Mohsen Baharvand, was summoned today to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office by the Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, in response to the unlawful attack committed on MV Mercer Street on 29 July, a foreign office spokesperson said.

Minister Cleverly reiterated that Iran must immediately cease actions that risk international peace and security, and reinforced that vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law, the spokesperson added.

Iran summoned the British Chargé d’Affaires in Tehran as well as Romania’s top envoy to protest against the accusations made against Iran, the BBC reported.

A foreign ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, warned that Iran would not hesitate in defending its national interests and would respond to any “possible adventurism”.

He said allegations that Iran was responsible “were contradictory, false and provocative”.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett blamed Iran for the attack, saying his country has intelligence evidence of Tehran’s involvement and expects the international community to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic that “made a serious mistake”.

Later, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made statements to the same effect. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has dismissed the allegation, saying they were “baseless”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday that Iran’s alleged involvement in the attack violated international law and was an act of “escalation.”

The UK and Iran have summoned each other’s diplomats in a row over last week’s deadly drone attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the north Arabian Sea.

The UK, US and Israel blame Iran for the attack, in which two crew members – a Briton and a Romanian – were killed, the BBC reported.

“The Iranian Ambassador to the UK, Mohsen Baharvand, was summoned today to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office by the Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, in response to the unlawful attack committed on MV Mercer Street on 29 July, a foreign office spokesperson said.

Minister Cleverly reiterated that Iran must immediately cease actions that risk international peace and security, and reinforced that vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law, the spokesperson added.

Iran summoned the British Chargé d’Affaires in Tehran as well as Romania’s top envoy to protest against the accusations made against Iran, the BBC reported.

A foreign ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, warned that Iran would not hesitate in defending its national interests and would respond to any “possible adventurism”.

He said allegations that Iran was responsible “were contradictory, false and provocative”.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett blamed Iran for the attack, saying his country has intelligence evidence of Tehran’s involvement and expects the international community to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic that “made a serious mistake”.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

Later, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made statements to the same effect. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has dismissed the allegation, saying they were “baseless”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday that Iran’s alleged involvement in the attack violated international law and was an act of “escalation.”

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