Admiral Band: British suspend boarding operations in the northern Persian Gulf

Above: The HMS Cornwall in the Persian Gulf.

London - The British navy has suspended all boarding operations of cargo vessels in the northern Gulf while a complete review of the practice is under way following the capture - and release - of 15 navy personnel by Iran, it was confirmed Friday.

The head of the British Navy, Admiral Jonathon Band, said in a BBC interview that the boarding operations of merchant vessels suspected of illegal cargo had been suspended while a 'complete review' of the incident which led to the sailors being seized is carried out.

The admiral rejected allegations that such operations were directed against Iran, and said they were conducted to control criminal activity, such as smuggling and the transport of suspect cargo, including weapons and drugs.

Read the rest at M&C

Related Link:
Released HMS Cornwall Crew: Iran blindfolded, bound and threatened with prison to get statements

Related Link:
Text of full statement at CNN

Related Link:
Freed HMS Cornwall sailors back in England

Related Link:
Iran frees HMS Cornwall sailors after 13-day crisis

Related Link:
Iran says it will be allowed a visit with detained Iranians, U.S. says 'considering' request

Related Link:
Report: Kidnapped Iranian diplomat released

Related Link:
Iranian consul in Basra says office surrounded, shots fired in air by UK troops

Related Link:
Iran shows video of detained sailors, 1 says 'Obviously we trespassed into their waters'

Related Link:
Senior Commander: U.S. rules of engagement would have called for fighting in HMS Cornwall incident

Related Link:
Iranian Commander: 15 detained sailors now in Tehran, 'confess' to being in Iranian waters

Related Link:
Analysis: Why Iran Seized the British Marines

Related Link:
Analysis: Pawns in a deadly game of high stakes

Related Link:
Opinion (Julian Borger and Ian Black): Sailors fall foul of emerging regional superpower

Related Link:
Perspective: Sailing in stormy waters

Related Link:
Perspective: Seizure Occurs in Long-Contested Waters

Related Link:
Perspective: Protecting Iraq's oil supply

Related Link:
Perspective: Iran can harass but not block Hormuz ships-experts

Related Link:
Commander of HMS Cornwall says seizure of sailors by Iran may have been 'simple misunderstanding'

Related Link:
Iran seizes 15 British HMS Cornwall sailors at boundary of territorial waters