Iran has threatened an “immediate decisive response” if British or French warships enter the Strait of Hormuz as part of a planned multinational naval mission to protect commercial shipping in the region.
The warning came from Iran’s deputy foreign minister, who said any deployment under the pretext of safeguarding maritime traffic would amount to escalation.
“Any deployment and stationing of destroyers around the Strait of Hormuz, under the pretext of ‘protecting shipping,’ is nothing but an escalation of the crisis,” he said.
“The presence of French and British warships… will be met with immediate decisive response.”
The comments follow confirmation from the Ministry of Defence that HMS Dragon is being deployed to the Middle East as part of preparations for a potential multinational operation aimed at securing one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways.
The Type 45 destroyer will “pre-position” in the region ahead of any formal mission, ready to join a UK- and French-led initiative designed to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the move was precautionary and part of wider planning with international partners.
“The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the UK is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the UK and France, to secure the strait, when conditions allow,” the statement said.
The proposed operation, backed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, would involve around 40 nations contributing to maritime security efforts in the region, particularly for commercial shipping passing through the narrow chokepoint linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Alongside HMS Dragon, the support vessel RFA Lyme Bay is being adapted to act as a mothership for mine-hunting drones, which could be deployed to clear maritime threats.
The deployment has been authorised by Defence Secretary John Healey and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have long been a flashpoint in regional geopolitics, with the waterway carrying a significant proportion of global oil shipments. Iran has previously threatened to disrupt traffic in response to Western sanctions and military activity in the Gulf.
The latest exchange raises the risk of renewed confrontation in an already volatile region, as Western allies seek to maintain maritime security while avoiding direct escalation with Tehran.
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