(Adds detail on Britain likely to raise issue in Security
Council)
By Michelle Nichols
NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Britain, Romania and Liberia
told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that it was
"highly likely" that Iran used one or more drones to carry out a
deadly tanker attack last week off the coast of Oman.
"This attack disrupted and posed a risk to the safety and
security of international shipping and was a clear violation of
international law," the countries said in a letter to the
15-member council seen by Reuters. "This act must be condemned
by the international community."
Tehran has denied any involvement in Thursday's attack on
the Mercer Street - a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned petroleum
product tanker managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime. Two
crew members, a Briton and a Romanian, were killed.
Diplomats said Britain was expected to raise the issue in a
closed-door meeting of the Security Council in the coming days.
The council is also coincidentally due to discuss maritime
security in a public meeting on Monday, chaired by Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. India is council president for August.
"The United Kingdom and Romania, along with regional and
international partners, are conducting a thorough investigation
of this attack. We will update the council in due course,"
Britain, Liberia and Romania said in the letter.
The United States and Britain said on Sunday they would work
with their allies to respond to the attack.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler and Dan
Grebler)