Posted on 07/21/2019 4:51:40 PM PDT by Hadean
DUBAI —A British warship tried but failed to prevent Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from seizing a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz last week, intercepted radio communications show, fueling a wave of recriminations in London on Sunday over who was to blame for the incident last week.
In recordings obtained by the shipping consultancy Dryad Global and posted on its website Sunday, a member of the Revolutionary Guard is heard ordering the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker to divert course toward Iran.
“Alter your course,” the man says. “If you obey you will be safe.”
A British naval officer interrupts, telling the Stena Impero that it has the right to proceed through the waterway.
“Under international law your passage must not be impeded, obstructed or hampered,” he says.
The British officer then addresses the Iranian: “Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by unlawfully attempting to board the MV Stena.”
Neither Britain nor Iran challenged the authenticity of the recordings.
Iran says it detained the Stena Impero for unspecified “violations” of maritime law.
A former head of the Royal Navy said the tanker should have been better protected before it was intercepted on Friday.
In London, British Defense Minister Tobias Ellwood pushed the criticism aside. The priority now, Ellwood said, must be to “de-escalate tensions” with Tehran after Iranian forces.
“Our first and most important responsibility is to make sure that we get a solution to the issue to do with the current ship, make sure other British-flagged ships are safe to operate in these waters and then look at the wider picture,” he said on Sunday.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Royal Navy ain’t what it used to be
I don’t think it qualifies as much of a warship.
I see zero facts in the story that backs up the headline that a warship tried to do anything to stop the tanker from being taken.
It said “Stop”
and if the Iranians didn’t stop, it was forced to say stop again.
In europe this is ‘deterrence’
Lessee: the top speed of a Royal Navy frigate in proper trim should be about 30 plus knots and the top speed of a supertankers is what - maybe 20 knots? Why didn’t the British frigate attempt to overtake and recapture the tanker?
This reads like a Monty Python send up. This is the Royal Navy that not so long ago endured missile attacks and air raids and hung in there in the Falklands.
it seems rather rude of the Iranians to seize that ship. After all, the British officer did say “please”.
Our priority should be to get the tanker and crew back with costs and reparations. Tell Terhran to make a very good offer because if it is not accepted, the costs are going to skyrocket very very rapidly.
Fascist Britain has no teeth. The Iranians know there will be no blow back from this seizure.
Worked well against hitler :)
That's a new ship they should get it back. - Tom
Flag: United Kingdom [GB]- AIS Vessel Type: Tanker - Hazard B -Gross Tonnage: 29579- Deadweight: 49683 t - Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 183m × 32m - Year Built: 2018- Status: Active R
Maybe PM May told the Navy to stop ? She is an Idiot after all
How pathetic. Maybe they should have offered the Iranians tea.
Frankly I'd let the EU figure this one out and see how they manage the thing. Meanwhile we have all sorts of intel we'll be sharing with the Brits. I hear they have this service, this air service or something that's really special...
Now it’s time for a sternly written letter
Its obvious that the Royal Navy does not have enough ships to escort all the British flagged or British owned vessels in the Gulf. They could however station rotating Royal Marines on the tankers to dissuade attempts to seize them. That assumes of course that Britain is willing to defend its interests and property.
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