The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), as well as the European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have blamed Iran for the attack on Mercer Street, an oil tanker, off the coast of Oman on July 29.
In a joint statement on Friday, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maritime security and the protection of commercial shipping. They also condemned the “deliberate and targeted attack” on the Israeli oil tanker, which killed a Romanian and a British citizen, and said it violated international law. In addition, they acknowledged that Iran’s behaviour and support to non-state armed actors threaten international peace and security. To this end, they urged Iran to stop all activities in violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and “call[ed] on all parties to play a constructive role in fostering regional stability and peace.”
The statement read: “Vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law. We will continue to do our utmost to protect all shipping, upon which the global economy depends so that it can operate freely and without being threatened by irresponsible and violent acts.”
In another press release, the US Central Command stated that the remnants of the third Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used to target the Mercer Street recovered during the investigation are “nearly identical to previously collected examples from Iranian one-way attack UAVs.” The release said the US experts concluded that the “UAV was produced in Iran.”
Meanwhile, Axios mentioned that Japan earlier refrained from signing the G7 statement, citing retaliation from Iran. However, after several days of US consultations with Japanese officials, including a call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, the country finally agreed to sign the statement.
Reacting to the G7 statement, the Foreign Minister of Israel, Yair Lapid, tweeted, “This is an important statement from the G7. Iran was behind the attack on Mercer Street, just as it’s been behind multiple terror attacks across the world. Iran isn’t just an Israeli problem; it’s a global problem. It’s time for the world to hold the Iranian regime to account.”
The attack on HV Mercer Street created tensions between Israel and Iran, as the vessel was managed by a prominent Israeli billionaire, Eyal Ofer, and owned by a Japanese company. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz vowed military action against Iran after the attack.
However, Iran denied any involvement in the attack and accused Israel of making “empty accusations.” Furthermore, Iran’s Deputy Ambassador at the United Nations, Zahra Ershadi, warned, “Iran will not hesitate to defend itself and secure its national interests.”
G7 Foreign Ministers Blame Iran for Mercer Street Attack Amidst Israel-Iran Spat
The G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, accused Iran for the Mercer Street attack on July 29 and urged it to promote regional security and peace.
August 9, 2021
SOURCE: THE NATION