Europe and Iran Argue about Persian Gulf Security, as Britain Already Escorts Commercial Vessels

July 29, 2019 (EIRNS)—There’s a lot of talk in Europe about a European-led escort force for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians are responding to this talk, very loudly, by proclaiming that responsibility for security in the Strait falls squarely on Iran and Oman.

In the midst of all this, however, the Royal Navy already has two warships in the Persian Gulf—the frigate HMS Montrose and the destroyer HMS Duncan—and they’re assigned the task of escorting British-flagged vessels.

Combine this with Russia’s Permanent Representative to International Organizations In Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov, describing the Royal Marines July 4 seizure of Iran’s Grace 1 tanker off Gibraltar as being discussed “fightingly” at the JCPOA meeting—undoubtedly, with Iran and the U.K. fighting—and the picture of the British keeping up the potential of a confrontation leading to war is clear.