Iran sends stern warning to Britain

Yesterday (July 28), the British government sent a second destroyer to the Gulf amid escalating tensions with Iran, especially after the retaliatory seizures of oil tankers between the two sides. Thus, combined with the proposal to form a European-led customs union to escort oil tankers in the Gulf, this new move by the UK is making the situation in the Gulf continue to heat up.

A second British warship, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, has arrived in the Persian Gulf to escort British tankers moving through the region. Previously, Britain had only one warship, the Navy's HMS Montrose, in the Gulf, which has led to criticism for failing to protect the tanker seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the middle of this month.

Before arriving in the Persian Gulf, HMS Duncan was sent to the Black Sea to participate in Exercise Sea Breeze 2019 with NATO member states and partner nations. HMS Duncan will be on duty in the Gulf until the end of August, when it will be replaced by another warship, the Type 23 destroyer HMS Kent.

The news of the HMS Duncan arriving in the Persian Gulf follows the British government's announcement last week that it was planning to set up a European-led force to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest shipping route, to avoid the possibility of its ships being seized by Iran.

Yesterday (July 28), Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei responded to the UK's actions: "We have heard that the British government is planning to send a fleet of ships to the Persian Gulf. If this plan is implemented, it will be a hostile and provocative message and will increase tensions in the region."

Mr. Rabiei affirmed that security in the Gulf must be maintained by the countries in this region. The Iranian government spokesman once again demanded that Britain immediately release the Iranian oil tanker.

The UK's proposal for a naval alliance has so far not received a positive response from European countries. France recently said it was not ready to send more military equipment to the Gulf, although it was willing to share information and coordinate the equipment currently deployed there. Meanwhile, the US military announced that it had conducted surveillance operations in the Strait of Hormuz and was increasing surveillance and security operations on key waterways in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is only 33 km wide but is the eastern entrance and exit point to the Gulf, currently managed by Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).