This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
July 11, 2019: The Strait of Hormuz, a vital channel for international oil supplies, has seen a significant escalation of tensions between Iran and the West.
A British warship, H.M.S. Montrose, was escorting the British tanker, British Heritage, through the Strait when three Iranian boats attempted to block its passage. The Iranian vessels, in a clear breach of international law, sought to impede the tanker's journey.
According to the British government, the Iranian boats attempted to stop the tanker in the early morning hours as it headed toward the Strait. The British warship was forced to position itself between the Iranian vessels and the tanker, issuing verbal warnings to the Iranian boats, which then turned away.
The incident marks the latest escalation of tensions between Tehran and the West, which began in May when the Trump administration implemented comprehensive sanctions aimed at cutting off all Iranian oil exports.
The tensions have been further exacerbated by the British seizure of an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar last week, which Iranian officials have described as an 'act of piracy.'
