Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his question. The Australian government unequivocally condemns the armed drone attack on the civilian tanker MV Mercer Street in waters off Oman which have been attributed to Iran. Iran's reckless, unlawful, deliberate and targeted attack on a merchant vessel is a clear violation of international law. Australia offers the sincere condolences to the families and friends of the British and Romanian citizens who were killed in this attack conducted by a drone that was filled with explosives and deliberately flown into the bridge of the tanker.

Iran's denials of responsibility for the attack are not credible. The Australian government fully supports calls for this Iranian escalation of attacks on civilian shipping to be addressed by the United Nations. Such attacks are now a lethal risk to all international merchant shipping in the region. Iran's deliberate attacks on shipping, whether by drone or any other means, must cease and those responsible for giving orders and carrying out the attacks must be held to account. That the MV Mercer Street had connections to Israel makes this act more concerning. Iran's continuing shadow war against the state of Israel breaches every foundational principle of the international community of nations and the key obligations of all member states of the United Nations. It is appropriate for the United Nations to address misconduct and its impact on regional stability and the disruption of peace.