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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/23/jeremy-hunts-plan-of-european-led-maritime-force-in-gulf-hits-opposition
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| Iran rejects UK's proposal for European-led maritime force | Iran rejects UK's proposal for European-led maritime force |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Plans for a European-led maritime security force in the Gulf unveiled by the UK foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, hit choppy waters as the plan was rejected by Iran, met resistance from supporters of the incoming prime minister, Boris Johnson, and was seen by British shipping industry experts as not providing a short-term solution to the crisis facing UK-flagged shipping in the Gulf. | |
| On Monday, Hunt unveiled a plan for a European-led maritime security force, making clear he regarded a proposed rival plan for a US force as likely to be seen by the Iranians as an escalatory step, partly since Washington opposes the Iran nuclear deal. | |
| America’s rejection of the Iran deal in May 2018 has set off a chain of slow-motion events culminating in the seizure last Friday of the British flagged ship Stena Impero. Hunt condemned the Iranian seizure as an act of state piracy. | |
| The Iranian vice-president, Eshaq Jahangiri, said any international coalition to protect the Gulf would bring only insecurity. “There is no need to form a coalition because these kinds of coalitions and the presence of foreigners in the region by itself creates insecurity,” he said. “And other than increasing insecurity it will not achieve anything else.” | |
| Iran has dispatched one of its most senior diplomats, Abbas Araghchi, to Paris for talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in a bid to find a way out of the impasse. He is said to be carrying a written message from Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president. | |
| Iran said it would attend a Sunday meeting in Vienna of diplomats from countries still supporting the 2015 nuclear deal, as they try to salvage the agreement. | |
| European leaders have broadly welcomed the Hunt plan even if it is seen as ironic that the UK is proposing a European security initiative at the point it plans to the leave the EU. | European leaders have broadly welcomed the Hunt plan even if it is seen as ironic that the UK is proposing a European security initiative at the point it plans to the leave the EU. |
| Johnson’s allies appear to be willing to continue Britain’s support for the Iran nuclear deal, but see no need for America to be excluded from plans for a maritime security patrols through the Gulf. There is also resentment at the fact Hunt is attempting such far-reaching steps with implications for the future of the “special relationship” when he may be living on borrowed time as foreign secretary. | Johnson’s allies appear to be willing to continue Britain’s support for the Iran nuclear deal, but see no need for America to be excluded from plans for a maritime security patrols through the Gulf. There is also resentment at the fact Hunt is attempting such far-reaching steps with implications for the future of the “special relationship” when he may be living on borrowed time as foreign secretary. |
| Tensions between the US and Iran have soared, with Washington dispatching warships to the Gulf, and Tehran resuming higher uranium enrichment. | Tensions between the US and Iran have soared, with Washington dispatching warships to the Gulf, and Tehran resuming higher uranium enrichment. |
| The UAE says four commercial ships off its eastern coast 'were subjected to sabotage operations'. | The UAE says four commercial ships off its eastern coast 'were subjected to sabotage operations'. |
| Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a drone attack on Saudi Arabia, striking a major oil pipeline and taking it out of service. | Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a drone attack on Saudi Arabia, striking a major oil pipeline and taking it out of service. |
| Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the drone attack on its pipeline. | Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the drone attack on its pipeline. |
| A rocket lands near the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, without harming anyone. It's not clear who is behind the attack, but after the initial reports, Donald Trump tweets: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' | A rocket lands near the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, without harming anyone. It's not clear who is behind the attack, but after the initial reports, Donald Trump tweets: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' |
| Senior Pentagon officer Vice-admiral Michael Gilday says the US has a high degree of confidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guards were responsible for the explosions on the four tankers in the Gulf of Oman. | Senior Pentagon officer Vice-admiral Michael Gilday says the US has a high degree of confidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guards were responsible for the explosions on the four tankers in the Gulf of Oman. |
| Saudi Arabia says 26 people were wounded in an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on an airport in the kingdom's south-western town of Abha. | Saudi Arabia says 26 people were wounded in an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on an airport in the kingdom's south-western town of Abha. |
| Two oil tankers near the strategic strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked in an assault that left one ablaze and adrift. 44 sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the US navy assisted. | Two oil tankers near the strategic strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked in an assault that left one ablaze and adrift. 44 sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the US navy assisted. |
| Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have shot down what they called a US 'spy' drone they claim was flying in in the country’s airspace. The US military confirm one of its drones has been taken down, but say it was in international airspace. | Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have shot down what they called a US 'spy' drone they claim was flying in in the country’s airspace. The US military confirm one of its drones has been taken down, but say it was in international airspace. |
| Donald Trump reportedly gives approval for the US military to launch strikes on Iran in retaliation for the loss of the drone, before pulling back at the last minute. | Donald Trump reportedly gives approval for the US military to launch strikes on Iran in retaliation for the loss of the drone, before pulling back at the last minute. |
| The Iranian and US presidents trade insults, with Hassan Rouhani suggesting that Donald Trump suffered from a “mental disorder” and Trump once more threatening Iran with “obliteration”. | The Iranian and US presidents trade insults, with Hassan Rouhani suggesting that Donald Trump suffered from a “mental disorder” and Trump once more threatening Iran with “obliteration”. |
| Iran summons UK ambassador over an incident off Gibraltar as Royal Marines seize a tanker the UK suspects of carrying oil to Syria. | Iran summons UK ambassador over an incident off Gibraltar as Royal Marines seize a tanker the UK suspects of carrying oil to Syria. |
| The International Atomic Energy Agency, the body tasked with verifying Iranian compliance with the terms of the nuclear deal, verifies that Tehran has breached the agreed 3.67% limit for enriched uranium. | The International Atomic Energy Agency, the body tasked with verifying Iranian compliance with the terms of the nuclear deal, verifies that Tehran has breached the agreed 3.67% limit for enriched uranium. |
| The UK government says three Iranian boats were warned off by the frigate HMS Montrose after Iranian boats 'attempted to impede' a British oil tanker in strait of Hormuz. Tehran denies involvement. | The UK government says three Iranian boats were warned off by the frigate HMS Montrose after Iranian boats 'attempted to impede' a British oil tanker in strait of Hormuz. Tehran denies involvement. |
| In a major escalation, Iran seizes the Stena Impero, a British-flagged tanker, off its coast. Iranian officials later make it clear that the capture was in retaliation for the capture of the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 earlier in July. | In a major escalation, Iran seizes the Stena Impero, a British-flagged tanker, off its coast. Iranian officials later make it clear that the capture was in retaliation for the capture of the Iranian supertanker Grace 1 earlier in July. |
| Hunt’s allies believe he could not leave a vacuum at a time of crisis, and there is no constitutional requirement for the cabinet to consult a then-candidate for the Conservative leadership over British security plans. Hunt’s future as foreign secretary remains in question, and the scale of his leadership election defeat will be weighed against the disruption of changing foreign secretary at a time of crisis. | |
| British shipping representatives fear the plan for a European-led convoy might take as long as four months to be operational, and many British ships, fearing capture by Iran, might de-flag in the interim unless they feel fully protected. They are seeking talks with the Department for Transport over interim protection. | British shipping representatives fear the plan for a European-led convoy might take as long as four months to be operational, and many British ships, fearing capture by Iran, might de-flag in the interim unless they feel fully protected. They are seeking talks with the Department for Transport over interim protection. |
| The Guardian view on Iran’s seizure of a British tanker: dangerous waters ahead | Editorial | The Guardian view on Iran’s seizure of a British tanker: dangerous waters ahead | Editorial |
| British shipping executives reported the cost of war insurance for shipping going through the strait of Hormuz was soaring. They said the costs for a voyage through the strait for a very large crude carrier (VLCC), the most common supertanker in the range of 200,000 to 400,000 tonnes, was set to rise by about $500,000 (£402,000). There are fears that shipping companies will start unflagging from the British ensign fearing the flag turns the ship into an Iranian target. Some Iranian MPs have also called for tolls on British and US ships moving through the strait. | British shipping executives reported the cost of war insurance for shipping going through the strait of Hormuz was soaring. They said the costs for a voyage through the strait for a very large crude carrier (VLCC), the most common supertanker in the range of 200,000 to 400,000 tonnes, was set to rise by about $500,000 (£402,000). There are fears that shipping companies will start unflagging from the British ensign fearing the flag turns the ship into an Iranian target. Some Iranian MPs have also called for tolls on British and US ships moving through the strait. |
| The Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, insisted Johnson needed to understand Iran was not seeking confrontation. Speaking after meeting his Nicaraguan counterpart, Denis Moncada, on Monday, he told reporters “It’s important for everybody to realise, it’s important for Boris Johnson to understand, that Iran does not seek confrontation.” | |
| “Iran wants to have normal relations based on mutual respect,” Zarif added. | “Iran wants to have normal relations based on mutual respect,” Zarif added. |
| The diplomat made the remarks after Britain delivered a volley of threatening messages to Iran in response to its seizure last Friday of a UK-flagged tanker. Stena Impero was captured and an investigation initiated after the tanker collided with an Iranian fishing boat in the Persian Gulf and refused to respond to its distress call. | |
| Zarif said Iran acted against Stena Impero only after the UK flouted maritime regulations. | |
| “The UK ship had turned down its signal for more time than it was allowed to [and] was passing through the wrong channel, endangering the safety and security of shipping and navigation in the strait of Hormuz, for which we are responsible,” he said. | “The UK ship had turned down its signal for more time than it was allowed to [and] was passing through the wrong channel, endangering the safety and security of shipping and navigation in the strait of Hormuz, for which we are responsible,” he said. |
| Nathalie Loiseau, the former leader of Macron’s party in the European parliament, said the two priorities were de-escalation and monitoring in the strait of Hormuz. Speaking on BBC World Tonight, she said: “What I find extremely interesting when a British ship has been seized – and it’s a question of high concern in the UK and rightly – there is this reflex to call the Europeans. At the very moment when you are talking about Brexit you can see we have common threats and have common ways of assessing threats. | |
| “I listened carefully to the foreign secretary saying the initiative he has in mind is very different from the American initiative of a policy of maximum pressure.” | “I listened carefully to the foreign secretary saying the initiative he has in mind is very different from the American initiative of a policy of maximum pressure.” |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
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| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
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| Iran nuclear deal | Iran nuclear deal |
| Hassan Rouhani | Hassan Rouhani |
| Iran's nuclear programme | Iran's nuclear programme |
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