Britain has called for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, days after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker in what London described as an act of “state piracy” in the strategic waterway.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt outlined plans to the British parliament after a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, which discussed London’s response to Friday’s capture of the Stena Impero tanker by Iranian commandos at sea.
“Under international law, Iran had no right to obstruct the ship’s passage – let alone board her. It was therefore an act of state piracy,” Hunt told parliament.
“We will now seek to put together a European-led maritime protection mission to support safe passage of both crew and cargo in this vital region,” Hunt said.
The British announcement signals a potential shift from Washington’s major European allies who so far have been cool to US requests that they beef up their military presence in the Gulf, for fear of feeding the confrontation there.
It is unclear how much influence Britain may have in Europe given it is about to have a new prime minister, widely expected to be Boris Johnson, who takes over a country divided over Brexit, its planned departure from the European Union.
Hunt said the maritime protection proposal would not involve contributing European military power to back Washington’s hardline stance against Iran.
Read the article by Kylie MacLellan and Michael Georgy in The Canberra Times.