US vows ‘collective response’

The United States has promised to lead a "collective response" against Iran in retaliation for a deadly attack on an Israeli-linked tanker, as Tehran denied blame and warned against "adventurism." 

The United States and Israel have both said that their intelligence concluded that an Iranian drone on Thursday attacked the MT Mercer Street, managed by prominent Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, as it sailed off Oman.

A British security guard and a Romanian crew member were killed in what analysts said bore all the hallmarks of the "shadow war" between enemies Iran and Israel, which have included attacks in waters around the Gulf.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the MT Mercer Street incident "a direct threat to freedom of navigation and commerce."

"We are in very close contact, in coordination, with the United Kingdom, Israel, Romania and other countries. And there will be a collective response," Blinken told reporters, the second straight day he has threatened retaliation.

Britain summoned the Iranian ambassador and demanded that vessels navigate freely in the oil-rich region.

"I think that Iran should face up to the consequences of what they've done," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters, condemning the "unacceptable and outrageous attack" on the ship.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Israel "must stop such baseless accusations" and called on the United States and Britain to provide evidence if any to support claims of Tehran's responsibility.

Iran "will not hesitate to protect its security and national interests, and will immediately and decisively respond to any possible adventurism," Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

Iran's foreign ministry also summoned the British charge d'affaires and Romanian ambassador to object to the "baseless" allegations over the ship, state news agency IRNA said.

The incident came ahead of yesterday's inauguration of the ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's new president, replacing Hassan Rouhani who had tried to improve relations with the West.

The attack on the tanker comes as Israel, which sees Iran as its primary adversary, and Iran have engaged in a secret war of attacking on each other's interests across the region.

Raisi yesterday said he would take steps to lift "tyrannical" sanctions imposed by the United States, after winning the formal endorsement of the country's supreme leader to take office later this week.

Raisi, who will be sworn in tomorrow and will then have one week to present his cabinet to parliament for a vote of confidence, is expected to adopt "a hard line" approach in the Vienna talks.