Great Britain, the biggest supporter so far of Washington’s plan for an international naval armada to protect shipping in the Persian Gulf, is sending a third warship to the region as the standoff with Iran continues.
HMS ‘Defender,’ a type-45 destroyer, left Portsmouth earlier this month, but its final destination was only announced on Saturday. Britain also has HMS ‘Kent’ and HMS ‘Montrose,’ both type-23 frigates, in the area.
London says the ships are tasked with protecting UK-flagged vessels, after Iran seized the ‘Stena Impero’ in July, following the Royal Navy’s earlier detention of its tanker, ‘Grace 1,’ in Gibraltar.
Tensions in the Gulf erupted earlier this year when the US increased its military presence in the region while also applying its sanctions campaign against Iran.
Washington accused Tehran of attacks on oil tankers in the region in May and June, and sent its aircraft carrier the USS ‘Lincoln,’ drifting 600 miles away from the war zone to avoid Iranian anti-ship missiles.
The US regime has been calling for a proposed international naval force to patrol the area, but the UK was the only one to send its ships. Australia and Bahrain said last week that they would join the efforts.
RT. com / AB Canada Flash Point News 2019.
Useless, as all those hostile actions appear to be?
Intimidation followed up by the fake news propaganda media use to do the job?
Now we need bribery, accompanied by corruption and extortion to make @ least something profitable happen?