Regrettably, it looks as if the analysis when last we visited this problem was exactly accurate. Iran used a “regulatory enforcement” excuse to harass the UK tanker Stena Impero, and then proceeded to taunt Britain over the captured ship rather than behave like a responsible nation merely enforcing regulations.
Indeed, Iran arguably engaged in piracy at one point, by hoisting the national ensign of Iran over the tanker.
Matthew Brodsky had an excellent tweet series on Monday. The elusive weasel-worded claims of the Iranian speaker (speaking in English), in the released audio of the exchange between the IRGCN and the Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose (F236), unfold as a classic of their kind.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
This is how state-sponsored piracy and terrorism from #Iran works. The @guardian released audio tapes of the conversations between the #BritishOilTanker and the Iran's #IRGC who illegally seized the MV #StenaImpero on Friday. pic.twitter.com/5yS82FOeiE
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) July 22, 2019
On state-run Fars TV, #Iran released video of their #IRGC "commandos" (aka terrorists) seizing the British merchant vessel #StenaImpero. This is state-sponsored terrorism and piracy. pic.twitter.com/pEamfaTiJx
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) July 22, 2019
#Iran state media also released video of their #IRGC #IRGCNavy on board the #StenaImpero as they try to give the impression they are responsible actors, not international terrorists. pic.twitter.com/tL1Ucrvp6m
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) July 22, 2019
In an effort to maximize the propaganda value of #Iran's terrorist and piracy or hijacking operation on the #StenaImpero, their state TV showed the Iranian flag hoisted on the British vessel. #BritishOilTanker pic.twitter.com/j3ab7mjRdK
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) July 22, 2019
The Iranians topped it off with video of the Muslim call to prayer (azzan, or adhan) being broadcast from the loudspeaker on the Stena Impero:
Apparently after hoisting the #Iran flag on the #StenaImpero, the #IRGCNavy thugs released video of what appears to be the Adhan (Muslim call to prayer) blasting from the seized #BritishTanker. The Trump admin designated the #IRGC as terrorists because they're terrorist. pic.twitter.com/gFz2jLZkZc
— Matthew RJ Brodsky (@MattRJBrodsky) July 22, 2019
The Iranian FARS News Agency also aired a video of an IRGCN patrol boat running in high-speed circles around the tanker – which in the clip is swinging on an anchor and in no position to make the heroic IRGCN maneuver difficult.
More proof that #Iran's regime is weak & desperate to save face.
The IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency just posted a "sporty music video" of the UK tanker Stena Impero.https://t.co/D0MPemexsA
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) July 22, 2019
Unfortunately, Theresa May seems to have chosen exactly the wrong course on the overall shipping protection problem. This is compounding the egg-salad facial for the UK, a source of indignation for many in her own party.
A former Royal Navy official acknowledged over the weekend that Britain doesn’t have the naval resources to go it solo in addressing this threat to UK shipping.
But Ms. May has committed her nation to do exactly that. According to reports from both sides of the Atlantic, she has declined proposals from the U.S. to mount a joint operation to protect our shipping in the Strait of Hormuz – proposals made over the last month – because she didn’t want Britain associated with the U.S. position on the Iran “deal.”
It’s not clear what she thought was going to happen after British commandos led the takedown of Grace 1, the tanker laden with Iranian crude now impounded in Gibraltar. It does seem somewhat shortsighted to have given that operation a green light without a follow-on plan for protecting UK shipping in Iran’s back yard.
But that’s water under the bridge at this point. The polling has closed in the Conservative Party leadership election, and we can expect to know within hours if the next prime minister will be Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt. Opinion polling seems to have been favoring Johnson. Either one will have the Stena Impero mess to clean up
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that dealing with that mess is the UK’s problem, and he’s right. At this point, it’s not for the U.S. to step in on it. We can expect to see some combination of irritants from Iran and attempted face-saving maneuvers from Britain. The ship’s owners may work out a ransom payment; getting the crew released should be the diplomatic priority.
But we also have reason to hope, given the change in Tory leadership, that the Brits will take stock of their big-picture situation and consider two imperatives. One is to close the maritime protection gap in the short run by reopening a channel with the U.S. on a joint operation. It’s possible that Australia would join such an operation (although doubtful that Trudeau’s Canada is to be counted on).
The other is to get the painful lesson of being caught flat-footed under Britain’s belt, and set about repairing the shortfall in naval capabilities brought about by years of inadequate defense programming.
