Ineptitude over Iran

To describe the Government’s handling of the events that resulted in Iran’s illegal seizure of a British oil tanker as totally inept would be an understatement. The warning signs that Tehran was likely to attempt an act of piracy against British shipping in the Gulf had been evident ever since a detachment of Royal Marines earlier this month intercepted an Iranian tanker suspected of shipping oil to Syria. Not only did Iran respond by threatening to seize a British ship, but the frigate HMS Montrose had already been obliged to intervene when Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps harassed the Bp-owned tanker British Heritage.

And yet ministers failed to take adequate measures to protect British shipping. Theresa May has even been accused of turning down an offer from Donald Trump of US protection for British ships in the Gulf which, given the chronic shortage of available Navy vessels to do the task, might well have prevented the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero from falling into Iranian hands.

One reason the Government has been so hesitant to act has been its desire to save the nuclear deal with Iran, even though Tehran is in violation of the agreement. Now Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has argued in favour of saving the deal, has called for the establishment of a joint European maritime mission to conduct escort duties in the Strait of Hormuz. Mr Hunt apparently prefers a European partnership over an American one because he does not want to take action that might be seen as provocative by Tehran. But this could prove to be self-defeating, as the failure of a European force to work with the US will be seen as weakness by the ayatollahs, and may well encourage them to commit further acts of piracy.