Three Iranian boats tried to intercept a British oil tanker in the Gulf before being driven off by a Royal Navy warship, the UK said, in a major escalation of tensions in the vital shipping channel off Iran.
The incident took place in the strait of Hormuz through which the commercial vessel British Heritage was attempting to pass on Wednesday.
It is the latest in a series of recent incidents in the area which have sent tensions between Iran and the US soaring. It also comes after the UK seizure last week of an Iranian oil tanker, the Grace 1, off the coast of Gibraltar, for which Tehran has threatened retaliation.
Iran tries to seize British tanker in Strait of Hormuz | DW News
Britain says three Iranian boats tried to intercept a British oil tanker near the Persian Gulf in the Strait of Hormuz. London says they were driven off by a Royal Navy frigate – the HMS Montrose – escorting the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The frigate aimed its deck guns at the Iranian boats as a warning. No shots were fired. Iran has denied that its vessels tried to stop the tanker, saying they were carrying out routine duties. The incident comes after a warning yesterday from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. He said that Iran was ready to retaliate after one of its oil tankers was seized off the coast of Gibraltar last week. The UK claims the Iranian tanker was delivering oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.The British government called for calm after the incident.
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