This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
Published on July 29, 2019, a British warship has been dispatched to the Gulf to escort UK-flagged ships amid heightened tensions with Iran.
The HMS Duncan, a destroyer, has arrived in the region to help accompany vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies.
The deployment comes after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19, in what the UK government called an act of "state piracy".
Britain has asked UK-flagged ships to give it notice when they plan to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with the HMS Montrose already having accompanied 35 merchant vessels during 20 separate transits, according to the Royal Navy.
"I'm pleased that HMS Duncan will continue HMS Montrose's fine work in helping to secure this essential route," Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement.
"While we continue to push for a diplomatic resolution that will make this possible again without military accompaniment, the Royal Navy will continue to provide a safeguard for UK vessels until this is the reality," he added.
