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Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will attend high-level diplomatic discussions in Turkey on Friday focusing on the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia.
The summit follows a persistent downturn in shipping traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz compared to pre-war levels in Iran, alongside heightened hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.
Earlier this week, Britain announced an expansion of its military aid to the Saudis, deploying fighter jets to intercept Houthi drones and missiles targeted at the kingdom.
The conference brings together the European E4 grouping – the UK, France, Germany, and Italy – with the regional R4 countries of Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
During the talks, the Foreign Secretary will highlight how Iranian operational tactics are being replicated, noting that Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia strain critical chokepoints like the Bab El-Mandeb and the Suez Canal.
He will warn fellow ministers that Iran and its proxy forces cannot be permitted to cause further destabilisation to regional security and global markets.
Furthermore, Mr Miliband will push for a diplomatic settlement to the Iran conflict that restores full navigational freedoms through the crucial Hormuz Strait.
Maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have increased since US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to end the war and reopen the waterway.
Iran’s conditions, which include lifting the US blockade on its ports, mirror terms from a deal that collapsed within days after Washington and Tehran signed it in June.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state television reported on Thursday that seven oil tankers caught fire and were damaged overnight after being targeted or striking naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
If verified, it would be the largest single-day number of vessels damaged in the waterway since the start of the Iran war on 28 February when the United States launched joint strikes against Iran.
Quoting a statement by the Revolutionary Guard’s navy, the Iranian report said that four of the tankers were transferring oil when they were targeted and caught fire. Another three were damaged and immobilized when they hit naval mines.
The report didn’t provide details about possible casualties or the flags of the tankers.
Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk
