Britain says two UK-linked vessels seized by Iran in Strait of Hormuz

[ABEEnr2]

A British-flagged tanker and another vessel linked to the UK were seized in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to a statement from the UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt said he would be attending an emergency government meeting to establish the facts and try to "swiftly secure" the vessels' release.

The British-flagged tanker — Stena Impero — was "approached by unidentified small crafts and a helicopter during transit of the Strait of Hormuz", the company that owns the tanker, Stena Bulk, said.

Stena Bulk and the one that manages the tanker, Northern Marine Management, said they were "unable to contact the vessel which is now heading north towards Iran".

Stena Impero had 23 people aboard but the foreign office said that there were "no British citizens on board either ship".

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said in a statement they had seized the British-flagged tanker due to "violating international regulations".

"After it was seized it was transferred to Iranian shores to undergo legal procedure," the IRGC said.

The second vessel was Liberian-flagged, the UK foreign office said.

"Our Ambassador in Tehran is in contact with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve the situation and we are working closely with international partners," Hunt said in a statement on Friday night.

“These seizures are unacceptable. It is essential that freedom of navigation is maintained and that all ships can move safely and freely in the region.”

Relations between Iran and the West have been increasingly strained after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar on suspicion of smuggling oil to Syria in breach of European Union sanctions.

"We are urgently seeking further information and assessing the situation following reports of an incident in the Gulf," a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Friday.

https://www.euronews.com/2019/07/19/...-flagged-tanke


I knew Iran were gonna do it i saw that coming miles away but 2 of them? now that i did not see.

[Independent voter]

In the 1900's that was a good enough reason for an all out war.

[Xeones]

I know Trump is the reason this happened, but why would they give Trump what he wants?

[ABEEnr2]

I know Trump is the reason this happened, but why would they give Trump what he wants?

its easy, iran wants to tell them that we will dare to do something in order to protect our ships. You know the one that UK seized.

[Ghostpanther]

If this report is true, they may have been hijacked and then steered into Iranian waters. But if that is true, then who hijacked them? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...strait-hormuz/

[Kallisto]

If this report is true, they may have been hijacked and then steered into Iranian waters. But if that is true, then who hijacked them? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...strait-hormuz/

Revolutionary Guard. For two reasons. Firstly to show off to the other 2 factions in Iran (Ayatollah's and the mostly toothless elected chambers) that they're in charge and secondly tit for tat with the British taking of an Iranian tanker few days ago off Gibralta.

[Ghostpanther]

Revolutionary Guard. For two reasons. Firstly to show off to the other 2 factions in Iran (Ayatollah's and the mostly toothless elected chambers) that they're in charge and secondly tit for tat with the British taking of an Iranian tanker few days ago off Gibralta.

You could be right. Would not surprise me.

[kasuke06]

...Well, guess we're getting another war in the land that time, morality, and basic human decency forgot.

[jeezusisacasual]

This was started by the UK so perhaps they got what is coming to them. Let the UK solve UK problems.

[Independent voter]

A week or two ago, a British warship chased off the Iranian Revolutionary Guard who were trying to seize a British tanker.

You'd think that would make the British more wary.

[Easo]

This was started by the UK so perhaps they got what is coming to them. Let the UK solve UK problems.

I fail to see how UK started this? Unless you mean the seizure of the tanker at Gibraltar? Because that would be just an episode in the whole Iran situation.

[jeezusisacasual]

I fail to see how UK started this? Unless you mean the seizure of the tanker at Gibraltar? Because that would be just an episode in the whole Iran situation.

That would be instance i was saying. Iran does not want a war but they will tit for tat which could lead into another conflict. Let them be whom they have always been. Unless it is China its a pointless and wasteful series of events that has no gains unless you are selling items to the military.

[Easo]

That would be instance i was saying. Iran does not want a war but they will tit for tat which could lead into another conflict. Let them be whom they have always been. Unless it is China its a pointless and wasteful series of events that has no gains unless you are selling items to the military.

So maybe they should try more rational thinking, then? Last time they tried to play big boys and touch tankers it ended really badly for them.

[Draco-Onis]

if we can ignore Russia poisoning people in the Uk then this also should be no big deal.

[Ghostpanther]

A week or two ago, a British warship chased off the Iranian Revolutionary Guard who were trying to seize a British tanker.

You'd think that would make the British more wary.

Every country which has oil being imported to them, should also be participating in the security of the area. If they do not have ships to help, then there are other ways they can. At this point, it is like each tanker needs to have some protection.

[ABEEnr2]

They would never do that to US tanker. "Great" Britain is such a pushover.

they did to "Great Britain" because they already did it first to one of Irans ships.

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I fail to see how UK started this? Unless you mean the seizure of the tanker at Gibraltar? Because that would be just an episode in the whole Iran situation.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...on-iran-hormuz

Carl Bildt, the former Swedish prime minister and co-chair of the European council on foreign relations, pinpointed the ambiguities of the British action in Gibraltar: “The legality of the UK seizure of a tanker heading for Syria with oil from Iran intrigues me. One refers to EU sanctions against Syria, but Iran is not a member of the EU. And the EU as a principle doesn’t impose its sanctions on others. That’s what the US does.”

Even EU's co-chair of the European council on foreign relations think it was stupid of the UK to seize a Iranian ship.

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So maybe they should try more rational thinking, then? Last time they tried to play big boys and touch tankers it ended really badly for them.

National thinking would not help when mr war hawk john bolton is behind it all.

[Independent voter]

they did to "Great Britain" because they already did it first to one of Irans ships.



https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...on-iran-hormuz

Even EU's co-chair of the European council on foreign relations think it was stupid of the UK to seize a Iranian ship.

Lot of forum members go out of their way to defend the Iranian mullahs who run Iran.

I see Britain upholding the law while seizing a ship and having two of its ships stolen.

[Machismo]

Lot of forum members go out of their way to defend the Iranian mullahs who run Iran.

I see Britain upholding the law while seizing a ship and having two of its ships stolen.

We broke the agreement, not them.