Britain to Deploy 3rd Warship to Gulf amid Tensions with Iran

By Staff, Agencies

The United Kingdom announced that it will send a third warship to the Gulf later this year, a move that comes amid intensifying tensions with Tehran over the illegal seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

The British Ministry of Defense [MOD] said on Tuesday that HMS Kent, a type 23 frigate, would deploy to the Gulf "in September" as part of an operation to ensure Britain maintains a continuous maritime security presence in the strategic region.

Britain, however, stressed that the deployment was “long-planned” and not an escalation.

"These long-planned movements do not reflect an escalation in the UK posture in the region and are routine," the MOD said.

According to the ministry, Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose is currently in the region but is due to undergo maintenance and crew change, with Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan being en route to the Gulf to take over.

Duncan is expected to arrive next week.

The deployments come after weeks of tension in the Gulf which heightened further when Britain illegally seized Iranian oil tanker “Grace 1” off the coast of Gibraltar earlier this month on suspicion of carrying crude to Syria in breach of the European Union’s unilateral bans on the Arab state.

Reports, however, suggested that the seizure took place at the request of the United States, which has been bent on driving Iranian oil exports to “zero” as part of its sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic condemned the illegal seizure as “maritime piracy” and summoned the British ambassador on three occasions to convey its protest at the confiscation.

Iran called on Britain to immediately release its oil tanker.

Early on Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei denounced Britain’s illegal seizure of the Iranian oil tanker, warning that the act of “piracy” will not go unanswered.