Iranian state media put out photographs today purporting to show crew members being held on board the Stena Impero, after the British-flagged vessel was seized last week IRIB/APBritain must protect its own ships from attack in the Gulf, the US secretary of state has said as tensions with Iran mount. Mike Pompeo’s remarks came as Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said Britain would seek to put together a “European-led maritime protection mission” to guard ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Stena Impero, a UK-flagged oil tanker, was seized by Tehran on Friday in retaliation for the capture of a sanctions-busting Iranian vessel by Britain nearly three weeks ago. falls to the United Kingdom to take care of their ships,” Mr Pompeo, 55, told Fox News when asked about any possible US role in the dispute. Britain and other European allies have been cool on US…

Source: The Times July 22, 2019 16:07 UTC