Iran is disturbed with the British proposal of the naval mission, led by Europe to escort oil tankers in the Gulf Sea, amid escalating tensions after the seizure of British flagged oil vessel Stena Impero. Iran regards this intention as “provocative” and “hostile”.
The condemnation was recorded on Sunday after the intervention of Royal Navy warship HMS Duncan in the Gulf to accompany British-flagged vessels passing through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz.
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The HMS Duncan joined the Royal Frigate HMS Montrose already operating in the Gulf to defend the liberation of maneuverability in Strait of Hormuz, Britain’s Ministry of defense revealed on Sunday.
The Department for Transport has already advised to regularly provide security to UK flagged vessels in high-risk areas of the Gulf Sea, especially the Strait of Hormuz.
Ali Rabiei, an Iranian government spokesman said, “We heard that they intend to send a European fleet to the Persian Gulf, which naturally carries a hostile message, is provocative, and will increase tensions.”
London said on Monday it was planning a European-led naval force to defend the tankers through the world’s busiest and important oil shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz, bounded to the north by Iran and to the south by Oman, as a retaliation step against Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged vessel on July 19.
“The presence of foreign forces will not help the region’s security and will be the main source of tensions,” Rouhani said after talks in Tehran with Oman’s minister in charge of foreign affairs, Yusuf bin Alawi.
The capture of the Stena Impero came two weeks after the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker by British officials in Gibraltar when British Royal Marines in Gibraltar grid around an Iranian tanker believed to have been carrying oil to Syria, which is, according to authorities is a violation of European Union sanctions on Syria.
Tensions in the Gulf region, especially Strait of Hormuz are still escalating, with the high possibility of military engagement between the United States and Iran as Washington has already blamed Tehran for conducting attacks on the shipping business and creating a spat around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military has said it is already monitoring the area and developing a “multinational maritime effort” enriched Operation to improve surveillance and security in the Gulf Sea.
