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Britain Refrains from Sanctions on Iran, Eyes Europe to Help Protect Tankers

Jamie Dettmer

   Britain's foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, told somber lawmakers Monday
   in a packed House of Commons that Britain was looking to help shape a
   European-led naval protection mission in the Strait of Hormuz following
   Friday's seizing of a British-flagged oil tanker in the gulf.

   Hunt surprised some lawmakers by refraining from imposing sanctions on
   Iran for seizing the British-flagged and Swedish-owned Stena Impero. He
   irritated some Conservative colleagues by turning to European allies to
   form a maritime protection force in the Strait of Hormuz rather than
   taking up a U.S. offer for joint patrols in the gulf.

   Hunt spoke amid mounting criticism in parliament for falling short in
   protecting British shipping in the gulf. He told lawmakers that the
   maritime force it is discussing with European allies, including France,
   Germany, Italy and Spain, would be separate from U.S. forces in the
   strait. He is urging British tankers not to sail the strait in the
   meantime.

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