Jeremy Hunt warns Britain is at ‘great risk’ of war with Iran after Gulf of Oman tanker attack
JEREMY Hunt has warned of the "great risk" of a drift to war with Iran following the attacks last week in the Gulf on two oil tankers.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has joined Britain and the United States in blaming the Iranians for the attacks - a claim which Tehran has strongly denied.
His alert followed attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The incidents caused oil prices to soar amid heightened fears of a conflict in the region causing major disruption to world supplies.
The UK Foreign Secretary said Britain was urging all sides in the dispute to "de-escalate" in order to avoid a slide into armed conflict.
"This is the great risk of the situation that we are in. Both sides in this dispute think that the other side wouldn't want a war. We are urging all sides to de-escalate," he told .
"Having spoken to President Trump, I am absolutely clear that for America they want this to end in negotiations.
"Let's see Iran stop its destabilising activities in Lebanon through Hezbollah, in Yemen where they are firing missiles into Saudi Arabia, on the Gulf as we have seen. That is the long-term solution."
ESCALATING TENSIONS
Tensions in the region have been rising since the Trump administration pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed punishing economic sanctions on Tehran.
The Americans have accused Iran of using limpet mines to target the tankers, pointing to video footage said to show Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops removing an unexploded mine from one of the vessels.
In recent weeks, the US has sent an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the region in what the military says is defensive posturing aimed at Iranian deterrence.
Britain's ambassador to Tehran Rob Macaire, meanwhile, has denied Iranian media reports that he had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in protest at the UK's "unacceptable anti-Iran stances".
Mr Macaire said he had sought the meeting himself.
"Interesting. And news to me," he tweeted.
"I asked for an urgent meeting with the Foreign Ministry yesterday and it was granted. No 'summons'. Of course if formally summoned I would always respond, as would all ambassadors."
In his interview, Mr Hunt defended the Foreign Office's assertion that Iran was "almost certain" to blame for the attacks on the tankers.
"We have done our own intelligence assessment. We have got videos of what happened. We have seen evidence. We don't believe anyone else could have done this," he said.
BRITISH MARINES TO PERSIAN GULF
Britain has backed the US in saying that Iran was behind the attacks and has prepared the Royal Navy to send Marines to the Persian Gulf.
Elite soldiers from 42 Commando based near Plymouth are set to be deployed in a training exercise drawn up before the attacks on one Norwegian and one Japanese tanker.
It will operate from Royal Navy ships patrolling the region from Britain's £40m naval base in Bahrain, the Sunday Times reported.
IRAN 'BLATANT' ATTACKS: US
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran for the "blatant" attacks.
The Pentagon also released images and footage as "proof" of Iranian involvement.
Pompeo said the attacks were part of a "campaign" of "escalating tension" by Iran which pose a threat to international peace and security.
"It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman today," Pompeo told reporters.
"This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication.
“Taken as a whole, these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security,” he said.
Pompeo said the United States will defend its forces and interests in the region but gave no specifics about any plans and he took no questions.
On Friday, the United States released video footage they say shows Iranian special forces removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers.
TEHRAN’S DENIALS
Iran strongly denies the “unfounded and reckless” claims – accusing the US instead of spreading “disinformation”.
Iran’s UN representatives said: “The US and its regional allies must stop warmongering and put an end to mischievous plots and false flag operations in the region.
“Warning, once again, about all of the US coercion, intimidation and malign behaviour, Iran expresses concern over suspicious incidents for the oil tankers that occurred today.”
Tehran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, earlier said the US "immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence".
The region is now rife with tension as Iran and the US continue to front-up to each other
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