But this is a two-way process: unless Iran's tanker, held by the United Kingdom in Gibraltar since being seized in early July, is released, it is highly unlikely that Iran will buckle under pressure and return the British-flagged Stena Impero, for the following reasons. "Under worldwide law, your passage must not be impaired, obstructed or hampered", the British officer says, before the vessel is forced to Iranian shores.
He told the Commons: "Let us be clear, under worldwide law Iran had no right to obstruct the ship's passage, let alone board her".
President Hassan Rouhani warned the West that "throughout history, Iran has been and will be the main guardian of security and free navigation" in the Gulf. And even if the Montrose had been close enough, the Iranians also temporarily detained a second, UK-owned vessel MV Mesdar and would likely have held this ship if the Montrose had been able to interfere in the seizure of the Stena Impero. The incident on Friday began hours after a court in the tiny British territory of Gibraltar extended by 30 days the detention of the Iranian tanker, Grace 1, which was seized on July 4.
Iran repeatedly threatened to retaliate, culminating with its seizure of the Stena Impero on Friday using the same tactics - commandos rappelling to the deck from helicopters - that British Royal Marines had used aboard Iran's own ship.
Meanwhile, inside Iran, the USA economic sanctions are affecting Iran's economy, a situation one Iranian expert told CBN News is catastrophic.
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, welcomed the announcement of the mission but said it was "imperative" the government protected British-flagged ships in the Gulf the meantime.
Britain said that there was no evidence the Swedish-owned tanker hit a fishing boat and that its transponders were on in global waters.
French submarine that went missing in 1968 finally found in Mediterranean
The Guardian reports the Minerve as having been conducting a military exercise when it disappeared. She has asked for a commemorative ceremony at sea for the families of the 52 sailors who died.
"To all the countries that are calling on Iran to release the tanker, we ask them to tell Britain the same thing", the Iranian spokesman said on Monday. British officials say Pompeo's comment came after he had been informed of Britain's plans.
Despite lower Iranian exports and OPEC's voluntary supply curbs, oil supply is exceeding demand due to strong growth in output from the United States and other non-OPEC producers, according to the International Energy Agency. Britain, France and Germany were also signatories and have been trying to keep the deal alive.
Trump has said the 2015 nuclear deal reached by his predecessor Barack Obama is too weak and new sanctions are needed to force Iran to renegotiate it. Tehran has said it can not negotiate unless Washington lifts sanctions and abides by the agreement.
The Stena Impero was taken in an area of water called the Strait of Hormuz, which is next to Iran in the Middle East.
"Iran does not seek confrontation". Officers on board the Vincennes mistakenly identified the Airbus 300 as an Iranian F-14 fighter jet that they perceived to be attacking the US ship. Last month, Trump called off air strikes against Iran at the last minute after Tehran downed a USA drone.
Ships must fly the flag of a nation state but it does not need to be the same nation as its owners.
First, despite the official justification citing Stena's violation of maritime regulations, various Iranian politicians including Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, have made it abundantly clear that the revolutionary guard's action was in response to the UK's "hijacking" of Iran's tanker over two weeks ago.
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