Navy warships to protect UK interests in Gulf amid US-Iran tensions
Security has been tightened at UK bases in Iraq and plans have been drawn up for the evacuation of Britons should it be needed.
Monday 6 January 2020 07:07, UK
Royal Navy warships will provide an armed escort for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz following an increase in tensions after the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
The decision has been signed off by the British government and announced by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
He said: "I have instructed preparations for HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
"The government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time."
And he added: "During the last few months US forces in Iraq, who are based in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian-backed militia.
"General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Iran's enemies.
"Under international law the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens."
Mr Wallace had earlier spoken to his US counterpart Dr Mark Esper to offer Britain's support.
The frigate HMS Montrose is permanently stationed in the Gulf region and operates out of the Royal Navy's facility in Bahrain.
The destroyer HMS Defender was sent to the region to support operations in the late summer after Iran attacked and impounded a number of cargo vessels including the British tanker Stena Impero.
Tehran has promised revenge for the killing of General Soleimani which took place in the early hours of Friday morning on the perimeter of Baghdad Airport. A senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al Muhandis was also killed in the strike.
Security has been tightened at UK bases in Iraq, while in London, military and government officials have spent the weekend going over possible scenarios for Iranian retaliation.
Plans include options for evacuating Britons from high-risk areas should it become necessary, and the security of military personnel in the region.
The US has dispatched an extra 3,000 troops to Kuwait to provide backup to forces already there. The soldiers, from the 82nd Airborne Division, have started arriving in the Middle East.