Romania finds the drone attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker unacceptable and condemns what it sees as a deliberate act that took the lives of two people. Romania holds Iran responsible, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced.
During the attack, the Romanian captain and one of the British crewmen lost their lives. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on the briefing of its strategic partners — the United States and Great Britain — came to the conclusion that the attack committed off the coast of Oman was coordinated by Iran. Bucharest requests a speedy explanation for the attack from the Iranian authorities and reserves the right to take measures in response, together with its international partners.
The ambassador of Iran in Bucharest was called to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Bucharest, there is no justification for an attack against a civilian point that killed crewmen and also caused important material damage, so Romania will continue to consult with its strategic partners in order to identify the proper measures to take in response.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania expressed its condolences to the relatives of the victims and promised logistic help in transporting the body of the Romanian victim.
The attack was committed on the Mercer Street oil tanker as it was transiting through the North Arabian Sea on July 29, under Israeli operation.
The strike on the Mercer Street marks the first-known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions with Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and American Minister of Foreign Affairs Antony Blinken expressed their conviction that Iran committed the aggression and reserved their right to respond to the attack.
Featured photo: Johan Victor/AP
