Eu Security Force

[JF85]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49076294

It appears the US does not consider the safety of our shipping to be any of their concern; our ship was seized in response to UK capturing an Iranian vessel.

This is worrying as we were enforcing US sanctions at their request. EU sanctions did not apply, so we had no reason to intervene. Spain seem to have recognised this, and UK politicians might have if only they were focused on world events rather than on internal power struggles and a determination to sever links with our nearest neighbours as quickly and as totally as possible.

Jeremy Hunt is, quite sensibly, looking to the EU for support in keeping the Straits of Hormuz open for EU shipping. Presumably this will involve some kind of EU defence coordination.

I wonder who our new Foreign Secretary will be hoping to work with after October?

[Old_Geezer]

Anyone with any sense.

[ToraToraTora]

how have you determined: "It appears the US does not consider the safety of our shipping to be any of their concern" - do you have a link?

[vetuste_ennemi]

I understand the British act was enforcing EU sanctions against Syria which is where the Iranian oil was thought to be heading:

https://www.europeansanctions.com/region/syria/

[ToraToraTora]

Yes VE, I thought it was enforcing EU sanctions.

[JF85]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49076294

"But the UK's protection mission would not include the US because, Mr Hunt insisted, Britain was not part of President Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" on Tehran."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49075822

When the Grace 1 entered Gibraltarian waters it was not in breach of UK/EU sanctions, only US ones. John Bolton has been itching for a tussle with Iran for decades. With our own politicians distracted by other issues, I suspect we were suckered into unwise action. As the second article shows, we have nothing like the resources needed to reinstate the Armilla patrol that prowled those waters during the Iran-Iraq war.

[anotheoldgit]

/// When the Grace 1 entered Gibraltarian waters it was not in breach of UK/EU sanctions, only US ones. ///

You are wrong, it was in breach of UK/EU sanctions.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iran-tanker-british-ship-jeremy-hunt-european-task-force-a9016301.html

/// The move is certain to further escalate tensions between Britain and Iran which began when royal marines boarded an Iranian owned tanker, Grace 1, off the coast of Gibraltar for allegedly smuggling oil to the Assad regime in Syria in breach of European Union sanctions. ///

[Zacs-Master]

It doesn't seem to be quite as clear cut as that. The Swedish PM claims the EU, as a principle, does not enforce its sanctions on non EU countries reports the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/20/gulf-crisis-tanker-retaliation-iran-hormuz

Whilst the Times reports that Gibraltar only changed its sanction rules 36 hours before the navy intervened. Something fishy there:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/20/gulf-crisis-tanker-retaliation-iran-hormuz

I think some diplomats may well have egg on their faces. If the two reports are correct, it would seem the tit-for-tat seizure of one of 'our' tankers may have been justified.

[Old_Geezer]

Surely stopping international illegal activity is a duty for all nations and never unjustified.

[Zacs-Master]

Depends how its done though and what the repercussions might be.

[ichkeria]

The Foreign secretary asks for EU backup as the US tells us to get lost.

And yet we don’t want ...
And trade deals ... ??

Hmm

[CrapAtCryptics]

Does the EU have the right to impose sanctions outside its own territory and then expect us to enforce them - where are the Swedish, French, German etc warships.