In the world community, on the initiative of the United States, another coalition is being formed. In particular, Washington intends to enlist support for patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Oman and Persian Gulfs.
“We are creating a coalition that will patrol the Strait of Hormuz so that these trade routes, these sea routes remain open,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an interview with WFTV-9.
According to him, the coalition will include "countries from all over the world", which together with Washington intend to achieve changes in the behavior of the Iranian leadership. However, the head of the State Department indicated that the United States is not going to unleash a military conflict against Tehran.
“We just want them to stop engaging in terrorist activities around the world. It is impossible for them to continue work on the development of nuclear weapons, ”he added.
Previously, the intention of the presidential administration Donald Trump to create an international coalition to patrol in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Straits, located near Iran and Yemen, reported the chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford.
Recall that on Friday, July 19, the Corps of Revolutionary Guards detained a British oil tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz for violating international maritime law and colliding with an Iranian fishing vessel.
We add that the tanker, whose crew consists of Russian citizens, was escorted to the port of Bandar Abbas.
In response, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt threatened Tehran with "serious consequences" if the situation with the detention of the tanker is not resolved soon. Later, he added that the number of foreign military contingent near the borders of Iran would increase if the country did not go "from a dangerous path."
Relations between Britain and Iran worsened after July 4, the authorities of Gibraltar, overseas territory of the United Kingdom, detained the super tanker Grace 1, flying the flag of Panama. He was suspected of transporting 2 million barrels of crude oil from Iran to Syria, bypassing the sanctions regime. In Tehran, these accusations are rejected.
By a court decision in Gibraltar, the tanker was detained until August 18, but the crew was released on bail without charge.
“Unlike piracy in the Strait of Gibraltar, our actions in the Persian Gulf are aimed at complying with international maritime regulations. As I said in New York, it is Iran that guarantees the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Britain must stop being an accomplice to US economic terrorism, ”said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
"The Americans are absolutely accusing someone of something"
With similar decisions to form a coalition, the United States is creating another hotbed of tension in the Middle East, First Deputy Chairman of the Duma Defense Committee Alexander Sherin said in a conversation with RT.
“International institutions of deterrence and balances do not work, there are no more independent organizations that would not dance to the tune of the United States. The Americans, with absolute impunity, accuse someone of something, create some kind of coalition, interfere in the internal affairs of states. They use any reason in the world to designate their military presence, their arrogant attitude towards international law. All these are links in one chain. Nevertheless, Americans underestimate Iran, ”said the parliamentarian.
According to the director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University, Yuri Roguljov, Washington is solely responsible for increasing tensions in the Middle East.
“Let's just remember who brewed all this mess. I mean termination of the agreement with Iran. It was an initiative of the United States. And now they are trying in every way to justify this initiative. How can it be justified? Expose Iran to a country that does not comply with treaties that conducts a hostile policy towards all states, ”the expert explained.
According to him, in this regard, Washington continues to increase pressure on Tehran by any means, in particular, by creating a coalition to patrol the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are talking about water areas, about the strait, which in itself is quite narrow. There are literally several dozen nautical miles wide. And if we keep in mind the territorial waters, the border areas, then we are talking about a small patch. And if they patrol him there, then, of course, this will increase the tension, which is already growing without it, ”Rogulev said in an interview with RT.