Iran captures UK tanker: Hunt says there will be ‘serious consequences’ if Revolutionary Guard does not return control of British ship

As it happened

Map: Iranian authorities 'seize British tanker'

Iran has seized a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the tanker “Impero Stena” was seized Friday for “non-compliance with international maritime laws and regulations”.

UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned “if this situation is not resolved quickly there will be serious consequences”.

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Key Points

• Iran seizes British ship in Strait of Hormuz
• Second oil tanker turns sharply north towards Iran coast
• The alleged route of Stena Impero

[19 July 2019 23:23 · Harry.Cockburn]

While Iran has confirmed it has seized a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, it has maintained its denial the US Navy had downed an Iranian drone this week.

Trump said there was no doubt the US Navy warship Boxer had destroyed the Iranian drone but Tehran showed video footage it said disproved the incident had happened.

Britain is now urgently seeking information about the Stena Impero tanker, which had been heading to a port in Saudi Arabia and suddenly changed course after passing through the strait at the mouth of the Gulf.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has said there will be “consequences” for Iran if they do not return the tanker.

But he said Britain was “not looking at military options, we are looking at a diplomatic way to resolve the situation.”

[20 July 2019 00:12 · Harry.Cockburn]

The UK operator of Stena Impero says the vessel remains uncontactable and is no longer under control of the crew.

Shipping industry trade bodies have called for greater protection to ensure the safety of crews following the seizure of the tanker in the Persian Gulf.