[ad_1]
Multimedia playback is not supported on your device
The British government said it was "deeply concerned" by the "unacceptable" seizure by Iran of a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf.
The owners of Stena Impero claim that they were not able to contact the ship, which was seized in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway of the region.
Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt warned of "serious consequences" if the situation was not resolved quickly.
Iran said the ship "violates international maritime rules".
- The United States will send troops to southern Arabia despite tensions in Iran
- Was the oil crisis in Iran avoidable?
MV Mesdar, the second British-flagged Liberian-flagged tanker, was also attacked by armed guards, but was released.
The Stena Impero was seized Friday by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Stena Bulk, who owns the ship, said that he was "fully compliant with all navigation rules and international regulations" and that he had been approached while he was in international waters.
Hunt said the tanker was surrounded by four ships and a helicopter and was heading into Iranian waters.
The 23 crew members, Indians, Russians, Latvians and Filipinos, were not injured, Stena Bulk said.
Norbulk Shipping UK, the operator of Glasgow-based MV Mesdar, said the communication had been re-established with the ship and that its crew was "safe".
The government's emergency committee, Cobra, met in Whitehall twice on Friday in response to the crisis.
A spokeswoman told the BBC that the government was "deeply concerned about the unacceptable actions of Iran", claiming that they "constituted a clear challenge to the freedom of international navigation".
"We advised UK carriers to stay out of the region for an interim period," the spokeswoman said.
Previously, Mr. Hunt, who attended the Cobra meeting, said that the seizures were "totally unacceptable" and that "freedom of navigation should be preserved".
"We are absolutely certain that if this situation is not resolved quickly, the consequences will be serious," he said.
"We are not looking for military options, we are looking for a diplomatic way to resolve this situation, but we are very clear that this needs to be resolved."
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labor Party, said: "The seizure of these ships is unacceptable and the oil tanker that remains under Iranian control must be released.The escalation may slide into an even deeper conflict."
Copyright of the image
Norbulk Expedition
The oil tanker Mesdar
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, reacted to the developments by stating that he would speak in the United Kingdom.
And the US Central Command – responsible for Washington's security interests across the Middle East – said it was developing a multinational maritime effort in response to the situation.
The Sentinel operation will strengthen the surveillance and security of the main waterways of the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation, he added.
The US military said it wanted to promote maritime stability, ensure safe pbadage and defuse tensions in international waters in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Bab el Mandeb and the Gulf of Oman.
These latest incidents occur in a context of heightened tensions between the United Kingdom, the United States and Iran.
Earlier this month, the Royal Marines participated in the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar suspected of carrying oil to Syria, in violation of EU sanctions.
In response to the seizure, Iran has threatened to seize a British tanker.
On July 9, the United Kingdom described as "critical" the threat to British ships in Iran's Gulf waters.
A day later, Iranian boats tried to prevent a British tanker from traveling to the area before being warned by a Royal Navy ship, according to the Defense Ministry. Iran has denied any attempt at seizure.
Was the tanker crisis avoidable?
The UK government will have to answer difficult questions about the decisions made and the resources available.
Given the extremely fragile and unstable situation in the Gulf, as well as the compelling need to strengthen the Iranian nuclear deal, was it wise to arrest a vessel carrying Iranian oil off Gibraltar?
Were the broader potential consequences properly examined?
And has the UK responded effectively to Tehran's threats?
- Read more Jonathan's badysis
A spokesman for the National Security Council of the White House said that this latest incident was the second time in just one week that the UK was "the target of growing violence" on the part of the United States. # 39; Iran.
The United States accuses Iran of attacks on oil tankers since May in the world's main navigation zone. Tehran denies all charges.
Tensions between the United States and Iran have risen sharply since the United States tightened the sanctions they imposed on Iran after unilaterally withdrawing from the United States. 39, the historic nuclear agreement of 2015
Friday, the United States claimed to have destroyed an Iranian drone in the Gulf.
Source link
