‘SHOW OF FARCE’ TANKER CRISIS:
Defence Minister: Navy doesn’t have enough ships Cobra chiefs consider UK response to Iran threat
Our Royal Navy is too small to manage our interests across the globe TOBIAS ELLWOOD ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE SENIOR SERVICE
THE Royal Navy does not have enough warships to protect British tankers from Iran, a Defence Minister has warned.
Prime Minister Theresa May will today host the Government’s emergencies committee Cobra, amid the deepening crisis over a UK-flagged oil tanker hijacked in the Gulf.
Armed forces chiefs, spy masters and top ministers are expected to attend.
Defence Minister and former Army officer Tobias Ellwood lashed out at the size of the Navy’s Surface Fleet yesterday, which includes just 13 frigates and six destroyers.
It came amid mounting questions about why the Stena Impero was sailing unescorted through the volatile Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Ellwood has repeatedly called for more cash for the military – and demands have grown louder since the vessel was stormed on Friday.
He said: “If we want to continue playing a role on the international stage, bearing in mind that threats are changing, all happening just beneath the threshold of all-out war, then we must invest more in our defence, including our Royal Navy.
“Our Royal Navy is too small to manage our interests across the globe if that’s our future intentions and that’s something the next Prime Minister will need to recognise.”
His warning comes as retired top brass lined up to demand more funds for the Senior Service.
Just one warship, the ageing Type 23, Dukeclass frigate HMS Montrose, is on duty in the Gulf. A second frigate, HMS Kent, and a Type 45, Daring-class destroyer, HMS Duncan, are steaming towards the region to beef up forces.
The Iranian flag has been hoisted over the 30,000-tonne Stena Impero in footage broadcast on state TV, which also shows armed forces patrolling the deck. The clip seems to have been recorded in the southern port of Bandar Abbas.
A recording of the run-up to Friday night’s raid by the Revolutionary Guard on the Impero, which had 23 crew on board, also emerged.
In the radio clip, the Iranian vessel can be heard telling the Impero: “If you obey, you will be safe. Alter your course immediately. I want to inspect the ship for security reasons.”
The exchange in the Strait of Hormuz – a key shipping route which narrows to 21 miles wide – was overheard by crew aboard the Montrose.
Tehran claimed the Impero was “violating international maritime rules”.
The British frigate, which was 60 minutes away from being able to intervene, warned the Iranians: “You must not impair, impede, obstruct or hamper the passage of the Stena Impero. Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by attempting to board.”
In a further warning to the Iranian forces to back off, the Montrose tells the Impero over a recognised channel: “As you are conducting transit passage in a recognised international strait, under international law your passage must not be impaired, impeded, obstructed or hampered.” Moments later, Iranian commandos rope-lined from a helicopter and approached from small, fast vessels harassing the Impero.
The tanker’s crew, who are Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino, were said to be “safe and in good health”, according to an Iranian official.
A second tanker, the British-owned MV Mesdar, was also boarded by armed guards on Friday but released.
Tehran saw the situation as a “tit for tat” following the detention of the Iranian tanker Grace 1, which was carrying 2.1 million barrels of oil, off the coast of Gibraltar on July 4.
Royal Marines stormed the vessel, which was suspected of being bound for Syria in breach of EU sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Iran linked the seizure of the Impero, with a spokesman for Iran’s Guardian Council saying: “The rule of reciprocal action is well known in international law.” Iran’s ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad warned the UK against escalating tensions.
Some 17.4 million barrels of oil – nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply – pass through the Strait every day. He tweeted: “This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region. Iran however is firm and ready for different scenarios.” Iran has come under mounting pressure since the US ditched the 2015 nuclear deal to block Tehran building an atomic bomb.
Donald Trump reimposed tough sanctions, which he hopes will force the Iranians to obey the pact. Iran is accused of violating the
terms of the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Britain is also locked in a diplomatic row with Tehran over British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
She was arrested while travelling with her daughter in April 2016 and sentenced to five years in jail after being accused of spying – a charge she vehemently denies.
Chancellor Philip Hammond was forced to deny the Government had “taken its eye off the ball” over Iran. He said: “We’ve been very much engaged with the Americans and our European partners in the response to Iran’s increasing defiance of the JCPOA over the last few months.” Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to update MPs and could unveil fresh UK sanctions.
But Mr Hammond said: “We’ve already got a wide raft of sanctions... but we are of course looking at all the options.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon claimed the situation in Iran could be worse than the war in Iraq.
“That should really scare everybody,” he said. “We’ve got a really important part to play diplomatically in this.”
The Ministry of Defence said: “The Royal Navy plays a pivotal role in maintaining freedom of navigation.
“We will continue to work with our partners and allies to maintain this truly global presence, while heavily investing in new capabilities.”
This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region
HAMID BAEIDINEJAD AMBASSADOR WARNS UK AGAINST FURTHER ACTION