LOC19:07
16:07 GMT
TEHRAN, Aug 2 (KUNA) -- Iran on Monday denied UK and US accusations that it was behind an attack on an Israel-managed oil tanker off Omani territorial waters last week.
Tehran "strongly condemns" accusations leveled by London and Washington that the Islamic Republic orchestrated the attack on Mercer Street; a ship operating under Israeli-owned firm Zodiac Maritime, according to statement on its foreign ministry website.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has said the Islamic Republic would retaliate strongly against any act that threatens its national security, in response to comments by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's remarks describing the incident as an "unlawful and callous attack" he blamed on Iran.
In comments of his own, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was "confident Iran conducted the attack," adding that an "appropriate response" was in the works.
A Briton and a Romanian were killed when the product tanker was attacked on Thursday off the coast of Oman. (end)
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