Romania, UK, US Submit Protest To NATO Over Mercer Street Tanker Attack - Chisinau

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th August, 2021) The permanent delegations of Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States to NATO have submitted a joint protest to the Alliance over the recent attack on the Mercer Street tanker in the Gulf of Oman, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"On August 4, 2021, the permanent missions of Romania and the United Kingdom to NATO, together with the permanent mission of the United States, submitted a joint protest at the [NATO] level. Other Alliance states were, therefore, formally informed of the attack on the Mercer Street ship, which resulted in the deaths of a Romanian and British citizen," the ministry said in a statement.

The three countries strongly condemned the incident and emphasized the deliberate nature of the attack in violation of international law.

On July 29, the Zodiac Maritime operator, owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, said that the Mercer Street tanker was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, adding that the suspected piracy incident left two crew members, citizens of Romania and the UK, dead. The company later said the crew took back control of the ship and the US Navy was escorting it.

On August 1, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett claimed there was evidence of Iran's involvement in the attack. The UK, as well as the United States, also claimed that Iran was responsible for the attack involving one or more drones.

Tehran has dismissed the allegations as groundless.