The tensions around the key strait for oil shipments spiked after the Iranian military seized a UK tanker over what it described as a breach of international maritime regulations. The move followed the seizure of an Iranian ship off the British overseas territory of Gibraltar on suspicion of violating EU sanctions against Syria.
France, Italy, and Denmark have supported a UK plan to launch a European-led maritime mission in the Strait of Hormuz to boost the security of commercial navigation there after the seizure of the British oil tanker Stena Impero by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Reuters reports, citing senior EU diplomats.
London floated the idea at a diplomatic meeting in Brussels, insisting that the EU, NATO, or the US are not planned to be involved directly.
“We will seek to establish this mission as quickly as possible”, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier announced, condemning Tehran's actions as “state piracy”.
The new development followed Hunt's presenting plans to protect shipments across the Strait to the British Parliament on Monday. The report suggests that British diplomats and military personnel have also discussed a mission, involving both naval and air forces with Italian, Spanish, French, and German support.
According to the agency, Germany has also been in close contact with the UK and France to “contribute to the security” in the region, while the Netherlands is assessing the idea as well. Spain, in addition, has also…
