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On July 28th, a second British Royal Navy warship arrived in the Persian Gulf to escort vessels sailing under UK flag through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan will work together with HMS Montrose, at least for a while, since the latter is to come off duty in August and depart the Persian Gulf.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said:
“Freedom of Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is vital not just to the UK, but also our international partners and allies. Merchant ships must be free to travel lawfully and trade safely, anywhere in the world. I’m pleased that HMS DUNCAN will continue HMS MONTROSE’S fine work in helping to secure this essential route.
While we continue to push for a diplomatic resolution that will make this possible again without military accompaniment, the Royal Navy will continue to provide a safeguard for UK vessels until this is the reality.”
Commander Tom Trent, the Commanding Officer of HMS DUNCAN, said:
“HMS DUNCAN has arrived in the Strait of Hormuz to continue the outstanding work to protect British maritime interests conducted by HMS MONTROSE and the United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander’s staff in Bahrain. HMS DUNCAN has shown the true flexibility of the Royal Navy by moving at pace to this area of operations.
We have relocated from an intense deployment in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, which included support to the French carrier strike group with live operations in Syria. The Royal Navy continues to deliver consistent, enduring and world-class capability in the region – HMS DUNCAN is proud to support this vital operation and ready to play her part.”
Thus, the purpose isn’t to specifically have two warships constantly in the Persian Gulf. Later in 2019, the type 23 Frigate, HMS Kent will take over the assignment from the HMS Duncan.
It should be noted that HMS Montrose will simply stop escorting ships, but it will remain in the Middle East through to 2022.
This is all part of the UK’s operation KIPION, which is allegedly the British “commitment to promoting peace and stability as well as ensuring the safe flow of trade, and countering narcotics and piracy.”
On Iran’s side, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi told MPs that Iran would restart activities at the Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, the ISNA news agency reported.
This was based on the claim of an unmentioned member of parliament.
ISNA on July 7th reported that Iran was beginning to increase the level of its uranium enrichment to a level beyond the 3.67% limit set by the accord.
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On July 28th, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, the deputy minister of foreign affairs at the end of the JCPOA’s Joint Commission meeting told reporters:
“Today’s meeting of Joint Commission of the JCPOA was held to address complaints by both sides, from Iran and the three European countries, on how to implement the JCPOA.”
He emphasized that good discussions were held at this meeting and each party presented its logic, noting:
“We witness some development on implementing the JCPOA in the last month; the IAEA’s report on reducing Iran’s commitments and those in regard to failure of European countries to fulfill their obligations.”
Following the meeting, the Russian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna and the International Atomic Energy Agency Mikhail Ulyanov tweeted the following:
The meeting of the Joint Commission on #JCPOA in Vienna on 28 July demonstrated that the new government in the #UK remains committed to #IranDeal and stands ready to contribute to its further implementation. This is important for keeping sustainability of the agreement.
— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) July 29, 2019
3 major results of Joint Comission on #JCPOA meeting on 28July: decision to continue work on sanctions-lifting;reaffirmation of collective responsibility for nuclear projects -in Arak(led by China&UK)and Fordow(led by Russia); Ministerial meeting will be convined in near future.
— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) July 28, 2019
He further emphasized that the US sanctions were affecting the Iran Nuclear Deal negatively, but that the commitment to all other signatories was certain.
The Joint Commission on #JCPOA discussed in Vienna on July 28 the current state of affairs with special emphasis on nuclear and economic aspects of #IranDeal. It is obvious that US sanctions negatively affect implementation. However all participants are fully committed to JCPOA.
— Mikhail Ulyanov (@Amb_Ulyanov) July 28, 2019
Separately, in relation to safety in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Bin Alawi bin Abdullah said that the country has been cooperating with Iran for shipping through the chokepoint.
“We have never been mediating and what is important for us is the stability of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, that’s why we are in talks with others,” said bin Alawi.
“There is cooperation between Tehran and Muscat about organizing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” he added, stressing that “all sides need to be in contact not to politically influence the international maritime operations in the Persian Gulf”.
Finally, Iran is to take part in the International Army Games. An official at Iran’s Navy said 44 Iranian naval officers are already in Russia to take part at the event that will be held on the territory of 10 countries from August 3rd.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
The standard dog and pony show from a long-diminished UK, now just a subordinate vassal to US geo-strategic objectives. But UK elites are so easily led down this particular path, as their governing institutions are deeply ingrained with nostalgic fantasies about their lost (naval) power, ie, sending nineteenth century gunboats off to the far east to threaten locals and demand open access to their resources.
The English vassals to the United States, and United States vassals to the Israelis, and the Israelis vassals to the Rothschilds and JP Morgan and the financial/Military Industrial Complex. It is imperative to dethrone the Dollar.
Yes it is.imperative.
Even from the west side of the atlantic, the financial inequalities are growing day by day.
Our elected leaders lead only for the rich, not the poor.
Its all so stockholders of large companies can have more profit. Thats all it is, run away greed.
If this does not change it will be then end of us all.
I dont want to shit radioactive bricks, do you?
In accordance with the last survey, about 75% of USA households can’t afford to buy a house using bank credit. Some guys from Canada said that in big cities like Vancouver or Toronto the situation is quite similar. But let’s be honest, Western governments are just partially guilty. The Word had entered in the super crisis, so the World economy slows down. Of course trade wars are not helping to cure the World economy, but, anyway, it will fall sooner or later. The only alternative I can think is WW3.
In fact, there is a 3rd way: the world powers will find consensus what world state, fat enough, will be sacrificed next, so they can consume it’s resources. But I am too pessimistic about it.
Communist China has a 90 percent of home ownership with no mortgages. Chinese very high savings rate. Consumption in China is based on this savings. Whereas United States consumption based on debt. Huge difference.
China has a very huge internal debt issue too.
Operation KIPION = Kingdom’s International Part In Overthrowing Nations.
So their entire fleet is in the Persian Gulf. Too bad Napoleon isn’t still commanding France, now would be the perfect time to cross the Channel.
And Caesar
Maybe Marine Le Pen can do something…
hmm I see that HMS Brexit does not attend the escort..))
Lol its so hilarous that US and UK think by sending more ships it scares iran, they have been training for 40 years how to deal with naval threats, 2 UK warships is just target practice for them
Way, way more military doctrine older than JUST 40 years! That is Iran. And they are afraid.
BP profits are down caused by low oil prices, now how could Britain increase the oil price?