Iran escalation?

richp007

I believe the first boat was a legitimate seizure in line with the law and shipping regulation.

The seizure yesterday is tantamount to piracy.

I also don't know how true it is that they supposedly have captured US agents and are threatening to execute them.

But if they have and do, that'd be a whole other level of aggression.

nheather

The UK seized to ship to enforce EU sanctions - this has nothing to do with the nuclear argument, this was stopping the ship from supplying oil to Syria that could then be used to continue the war against its people.

Where are all the warships from the other EU nations?  Why is it always left to the UK and US when any actual dirty work is needed - and others like the Canadians, but very rarely do the European countries get involved at the pointy end.  Not sure why some of them actually have armed forces.

Cheers,

Nigel

SteakAndCake

The US want the UK (and the EU) to join an Aggressive force to pressure Iran.

The UK and EU want to maintain the treaty, but now that Iran has escalated due to US sanctions, want US support to Defend shipping.  

So, both the UK and US want a military coalition, but built toward different goals.   US want aggression, UK and EU want defensive.  Since the UK won't support Trump's aggression the US have told us to go whistle.

Trollslayer

France has plenty of ships, what are they doing?

richp007

Well things could be quite different very soon....

nheather

The seizure was launched from Gibraltar.  The importance of Gibraltar is that it can be used to protect the narrow channel to the Mediterranean.  The Spanish keep campaigning that Gibraltar should be theirs - can you imagine them taking up the guardian duty - nope they would just sit back and wave as the criminals sailed by.

Cheers,

Nigel

justincase

I never said it had anything to do with the nuclear agreement..   Would appear that the Iranian seizure of the UK tanker was done in retaliation though and now the British have been found wanting

justincase

It's nearly August,,,they will be prepping for their vacations

Rasczak

The French Naval Base in the region is in Djibouti as they see their priorities in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.  By contrast the UK base is in Bahrain.

nheather

Yes in retaliation for the UK enforcing EU Sanctions.

Point I was making is that it had to be the UK enforcing EU sanctions didn't it - why was the Iranian ship not seized by the French or the Spanish?

Not sure we were found wanting.  Unless you sit a load of a ships just off the Iranian coast it would be near impossible to stop the seizure happening eventually.  And because the Iranians used a helicopter this time the only way that could be stopped would be to threaten to shoot the helicopter down.

Cheers,

Nigel