From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 22, 2019
UK reiterates demand for Iran to release ship as it weighs response
LONDON — Britain repeats its demand for Iran to release a UK-flagged tanker seized in the Gulf, as Prime Minister Theresa May’s government holds crisis talks on how to respond.
In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the Stena Impero on Friday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The move came two weeks after British authorities seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar on suspicion of breaching sanctions against Syria, and against a backdrop of brinkmanship between Washington and Tehran.
“The ship was seized under false and illegal pretences and the Iranians should release it and its crew immediately,” May’s spokesman says as she chairs an emergency meeting with ministers and officials.
“We do not seek confrontation with Iran but it is unacceptable and highly escalatory to seize a ship going about legitimate business through internationally recognized shipping lanes.”
Iran impounded the tanker after claiming it failed to respond to distress calls and turned off its transponder after hitting a fishing boat.
The British government has warned its ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about a third of the world’s sea-borne oil.
But questions are being asked in London about why it was not more proactive in protecting ships after the Gibraltar incident, which provoked fury in Tehran.
May’s spokesman says the high volume of ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz “makes it impossible to escort vessels individually.”
However, he says today’s talks will look at how to reassure commercial vessels in the region, as well as Britain’s response to Iran’s action.
— AFP
