Royal Navy praised as Jeremy Hunt heads to Brussels for Iran talks

Mr Hunt is travelling to Brussels today to seek support from France and Germany to force Iran to uphold the nuclear agreement.

The news comes after a Royal Navy warship, HMS Montrose, intervened to drive off Iranian patrol boats after they approached a British tanker as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz.

Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer, HMS Duncan, has now been sent to the Gulf to replace Montrose.

Meanwhile, Iran has begun exceeding limits on uranium enrichment agreed in the 2015 deal amid frustration in Tehran at the return of crippling US economic sanctions – and the US has responded by dispatching thousands of troops, an aircraft carrier, nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and advanced fighter jets

Ahead of the meeting in Brussels, Mr Hunt expressed his gratitude to the navy for helping to keep the peace – and trade – in the ‘unstable’ region.

He said: ‘Following the brave work of our Royal Navy in the Persian Gulf we will work with partners to maintain the right of commercial ships to go about their rightful business.

‘The Middle East is already one of the most unstable regions in the world, but if the different parties were armed with nuclear weapons it would represent an existential threat to mankind.

‘I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening.’