Iran envoy summoned over tanker strike which left Briton dead

LONDON: Iran’s ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign Office following the attack on the tanker Mercer Street which killed a Briton.

The UK has said it is highly likely that Iran was behind a drone strike on the vessel off the coast of Oman. Middle East minister James Cleverly told the Iranian diplomat that Tehran must “immediately cease actions that risk international peace and security”.

The strike on the tanker, Mercer Street, on Thursday night was the first known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions between Israel and Iran. British maritime security firm Ambrey said the attack, which saw a hole blasted through the vessel’s bridge, killed one of its employees aboard.

The Mercer Street is managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. The Foreign Office said the drone assault followed similar attacks on three other Israeli-linked ships in the region since February.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “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.

“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.”