Iran Tanker Seizure: May To Chair Cobra Meeting On Crisis

The prime minister will chair the government's emergency committee Cobra on Monday after a British-flagged tanker was seized by Iran in the Gulf

London (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd July, 2019) The prime minister will chair the government's emergency committee Cobra on Monday after a British-flagged tanker was seized by Iran in the Gulf.Theresa May is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials and discuss maintaining the security of shipping in the area.It comes amid reports ministers are considering freezing Iranian assets.Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to update MPs later on further measures the government will take.On Sunday, ministers denied domestic politics meant the government had taken its "eye off the ball".The detainment of the Stena Impero marks escalating tensions between the UK and Iran, coming weeks after Britain helped seize a tanker carrying Iranian oil.On Friday, the Stena Impero was seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the key shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran said it was "violating international maritime rules".Video released by Iran's Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars news agency appeared to show the moment the tanker was raided.Iranian vessel can be heard telling the British frigate it wants to inspect the Stena Impero for security reasons.Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the tanker was captured after it collided with a fishing boat and failed to respond to calls from the smaller craft.Mr Hunt said it was illegally seized in Omani waters and forced to sail into Bandar Abbas port in Iran.The seizure of the Stena Impero comes two weeks after Royal Marines helped seize Iranian tanker Grace 1 off Gibraltar, because of evidence it was carrying oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions.Mr Hunt said the Grace 1 was detained legally, but Iran said it was "piracy" and threatened to seize a British oil tanker in retaliation.Former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC there were legitimate questions over the British government's actions, after HMS Montrose was too far away to stop the ship's seizure.He said the detention of the Grace 1 tanker carrying Iranian oil two weeks earlier ought to have served as a warning British vessels in the Gulf needed protection.The Tory MP said he understood the US had offered the UK "assets" to support its shipping and they were not taken up."This is a major failure and the government has to answer that charge very quickly indeed," he said.Former commander of UK maritime forces Rear Admiral Alex Burton said the size of the Navy's fleet had limited the UK's ability to act."There is no doubt that the size of the Navy since 2005 - reduced from 31 frigates and destroyers to now 19 - has had an impact on our ability to protect our interests around the globe," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.US Central Command said it was developing a multinational maritime effort in response to the situation.Defence minister Tobias Ellwood said it was "impossible" to escort each individual vessel.He said the situation required "international co-operation" and suggested more money should be invested in the Navy if Britain wanted to continue to play a role on the international stageThe Stena Impero is still being held in the port of Bandar Abbas, in southern Iran.The tanker's Swedish owner, Stena Bulk, has made a formal request to visit the 23 crew members, who are Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino.They have all been taken off the ship for "questioning", Iran's Press tv reported.A relative of one Indian crew member, who did not want to be identified, told the BBC on Sunday the family was concerned and had not received any messages from him since the vessel was detained.But they said the family was being kept well informed by the Swedish company and felt reassured about diplomatic efforts to free the ship after meeting company officials on Sunday.

Although the crew and owners are not British, the Stella Impero carries the UK flag."Historically speaking it means that the UK owes protection to the vessel," explained Richard Meade, from maritime publication Lloyds List.Relations have been deteriorating between Iran and the UK and US.In April, the US tightened sanctions it had re-imposed on Iran after withdrawing from a 2015 nuclear deal.The US blamed Iran for attacks on tankers since May, which Tehran denies.

On Friday, the US claimed to have destroyed an Iranian drone in the Gulf.The UK government has remained committed to the deal, which curbs Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions.However, the UK's help in seizing the Iranian tanker Grace 1 infuriated Iran.Last week, the UK said Iranian boats also attempted to impede a British oil tanker in the region before being warned off by HMS Montrose.

Iran denied any attempted seizure.The White House said Friday's incident was the second time in more than a week the UK had been "the target of escalatory violence" by Iran.On Sunday, the Foreign Office confirmed Mr Hunt spoke with his French and German counterparts, who have both condemned Iran's actions.France's Jean-Yves Le Drian and Germany's Heiko Maas agreed that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is a top priority for European nations, while avoiding any possible escalation================New Zealand tightens gun laws again after mosque attackWELLINGTON, July 22, (Online): New Zealand announced plans for a national firearms register Monday in its second round of gun law reforms following the Christchurch mosque attacks which killed 51 Muslim worshippers.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said regulations around who could hold firearm licences would also be tightened to "stop weapons falling into the wrong hands".Ardern said the March 15 killings, when a gunman opened fire at two Christchurch mosques as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, had changed attitudes towards gun ownership in New Zealand."There is a new normal around firearms, it is a change of mindset," she told reporters."The most dangerous weapons are being taken out of circulation."The government's initial response to the attack was an immediate ban on the military-style semi-automatic rifles (MSSAs) used in the worst massacre in modern New Zealand history.Police Minister Stuart Nash said the latest changes were needed to keep track of firearms in the community."Under the current law, we do not know exactly how many guns are in circulation, who owns them, who is selling them, who is buying them or how securely they are stored," he said.The register, which is expected to take five years to complete, will contain details of the estimated 1.2 million firearms in New Zealand, for a population of around five million.The second round of gun law reform also includes a ban on foreign nationals purchasing firearms -- the accused Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant is an Australian who allegedly bought an arsenal of rifles while living on the South Island.It also bars people with convictions for violence, gang activity, drug or firearm offences from holding a licence.A nationwide buyback scheme including 250 "collection events" run by the police, was launched this month, allowing members of the public to hand in weapons before a six-month amnesty expires.Nash said there had been a strong response during the first week of the buyback, with more than 11,000 prohibited firearms and parts handed in."Firearms owners want to do the right thing.

Many events have seen people queueing before the doors open, ready to hand in firearms, parts and ammunition," he said.