After Iran seizes oil tanker, UK asks ships to avoid Hormuz Strait

A picture released by an Iranian news agency shows the vessel anchored. Pics/AFP

London: Britain on Saturday advised ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz for "an interim period" following Iran's seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker.

"We remain deeply concerned about Iran's unacceptable actions which represent a clear challenge to international freedom of navigation," a government spokeswoman said following an overnight meeting of the government's COBRA emergencies committee to discuss the crisis.

"We have advised UK shipping to stay out of the area for an interim period." She noted comments by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier that "there will be serious consequences if the situation is not resolved". Hunt said the seizures were "completely unacceptable" and "freedom of navigation must be maintained".

Iranian media reported the ship had been seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

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No. of people on board the ship

A close shave

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also seized a Liberian-flagged tanker Mesdar. The owner later said the ship was briefly boarded by armed guards before being allowed to go. Iran's semi-official Fars news agency tweeted that the Mesdar had left Iran's territorial waters.

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