Iran Tries and Fails To Seize British Boat as Aggression Ramps Up
Iranian boats tried to seize a British oil tanker Thursday near the Gulf of Oman but were quickly run off by a Royal Navy ship, the UK government said.
The oil tanker, British Heritage, was attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz when three Iranian vessels confronted it.
As a result, the HMS Montrose, a Royal Navy ship, positioned itself between the British Heritage and the Iranian vessels and issued a series of warnings.
“HMS Montrose was forced to position herself between the Iranian vessels and British Heritage and issue verbal warnings to the Iranian vessels, which then turned away,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“We are concerned by this action and continue to urge the Iranian authorities to de-escalate the situation in the region.”
CNN reports that video footage from a U.S. surveillance aircraft shows that the Navy ship trained its guns on the Iranian vessels while issuing the warning, although no shots were fired.
A source from the British Ministry of Defense said that it appeared that “the Iranian vessels were trying to divert the Heritage from international to Iranian waters,” CNN reported.
However, Iran has denied the British government’s claims calling them “worthless,” The Guardian reported.
“Apparently the British tanker has passed. What [the British] have said themselves and the claims that have been made are for creating tension and these claims have no value,” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said.
The incident comes just a day after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sent a warning to the United Kingdom for seizing an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Gibraltar last week.
“You are an initiator of insecurity and you will understand its repercussions,” Rouhani said in a cabinet meeting.
Additionally, a former leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Mohsen Rezaei, suggested the country should seize a British oil tanker in response to Britain capturing one of theirs, The Guardian reported.
“If England does not release the Iranian oil tanker, the duty … [of Iran] is to respond and seize one English oil tanker,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a source of contention, as just last month Iran shot down a U.S. unmanned drone that it claimed entered into Iranian airspace.
Afterward, President Donald Trump warned that Iran had “made a huge mistake.”
Iran’s move to shoot down the drone did nothing but increase tensions between the two countries.
Trump said Wednesday that substantial sanctions would be hitting Iran once again due to its violation of “the terrible 150 Billion Dollar deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration.”
Iran has long been secretly “enriching,” in total violation of the terrible 150 Billion Dollar deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration. Remember, that deal was to expire in a short number of years. Sanctions will soon be increased, substantially!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2019
“Remember, that deal was to expire in a short number of years. Sanctions will soon be increased, substantially!” he tweeted.
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