The foreign ministers of the G7 member states on Friday blamed Iran for orchestrating last week's attack on an Israeli-managed ship off the coast of Oman, in which two people were killed.
"This was a deliberate and targeted attack, and a clear violation of international law. All available evidence clearly points to Iran. There is no justification for this attack," said the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU in a joint statement.
"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 is able to operate freely and without being threatened by irresponsible and violent acts," the statement continued.
"Iran’s behavior, alongside its support to proxy forces and non-state armed actors, threatens international peace and security. We call on Iran to stop all activities inconsistent with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and call on all parties to play a constructive role in fostering regional stability and peace," the foreign ministers said.
Britain has condemned Iran and accused it of carrying out the attack in which two people were killed, saying it has concluded that Iran is likely to blame for the drone bombing.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised a "collective response" to Iran following the attack.
A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday vehemently denied claims that his country was behind the attack on the Mercer Street - a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned petroleum product tanker managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime.
The spokesman called the accusations "baseless and provocative," and warned that Iran would respond to any retaliatory action against it, "immediately and determinedly".
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)