The British government says it will provide naval escorts for UK-flagged ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Tension is rising between Britain and Iran.
The government announced the measure in a statement on Thursday. The statement says the government will do all it can to defend freedom of navigation, which is crucial for the global trading system and the world economy.The Department for Transport is asking British-flagged vessels to inform it if they plan to travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps seized a British-flagged tanker in the area last week. Tehran says the vessel violated international maritime regulations, a claim dismissed as groundless by London.
The British government has been trying to form a European-led maritime mission to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tension over the waterway is also high between Iran and the United States. The administration of US President Donald Trump has been calling on allies to join a proposed coalition to guarantee the safety of vessels traveling in the region.
NHK
