OREANDA-NEWS. The decision of the United Kingdom to join the naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz under the auspices of the United States pauses a similar European initiative. This was reported on Friday by the American News Agency.

“Many of us wanted to do this with the United Kingdom for European solidarity and to avoid the US campaign to exert maximum pressure. Now it all paused because Great Britain sided with the United States”, the agency quoted one of the top European diplomats as saying. According to the agency, France next week will attempt to unite the EU countries for a separate mission to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and hopes that about 15 European states will take part in it.

The situation in the Persian Gulf worsened on July 19, when the tanker Stena Impero sailing under the British flag was detained in the Strait of Hormuz by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces). According to the IRGC, the tanker was detained "in connection with a violation of international rules" and escorted to shore for inspection. The US State Department announced that Washington is building a coalition to ensure freedom of navigation in the Gulf region. On July 23, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo proposed involving states from different regions of the world in the coalition.

In addition, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Luxembourg on September 16 to discuss the Brexit topic with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "Prime Minister Johnson will hold talks with Juncker in Luxembourg on Monday", the agency quoted the representative as saying.

The head of the British government has repeatedly stated that he is seeking Britain to secede from the EU no later than October 31. According to him, London continues negotiations with Brussels on the conditions of the upcoming "divorce" and will try to reach a new agreement on Brexit at the EU summit, which will be held October 17-18.