UK warns Iran over 'dangerous' and 'illegal' behavior after tanker seizures in Strait of Hormuz

• UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warns that Iran is taking a "dangerous" and "illegal" path after the seizure of two British-linked tanker ships .
• "Yesterday's action in Gulf shows worrying signs Iran may be choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising behaviour after Gibraltar's LEGAL detention of oil bound for Syria," Hunt tweeted.
• Iranian authorities seized the British-flagged Stena Impero, and briefly detained another ship, the Mescar, on Friday.
• The seizure comes just two weeks after the UK seized an Iranian cargo ship travelling through the Strait of Gibraltar.
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Britain's foreign secretary on Saturday warned Iran that it is taking a "dangerous" and "illegal" path after the seizure of two British-linked tanker ships in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz Friday.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned on Twitter early Saturday morning that Iran's seizure of the Stena Impero, a British-flagged, Swedish-based tanker, as well as the brief detention of the Mesdar, a Liberian-flagged ship operated by a UK shipping firm, was "illegal."

Read more: Iran denied Trump's assertion that a US warship shot down one of its drones and said it was 'worried' the US actually destroyed its own aircraft

"Yesterday's action in Gulf shows worrying signs Iran may be choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising behaviour after Gibraltar's LEGAL detention of oil bound for Syria," Hunt, who is currently competing to become the UK's next prime minister, tweeted.

"As I said yesterday our reaction will be considered but robust. We have been trying to find a way to resolve Grace1 issue but WILL ensure the safety of our shipping."

Hunt, however, earlier made clear that the UK currently has no intention of pursuing a military solution to the crisis.

"We are absolutely clear that if this situation is not resolved quickly there will be serious consequences," he told the BBC late Friday evening.

"We are not looking at military options. We are looking at a diplomatic way to resolve this situation but we are very clear that it must be resolved."

Iran claims that it seized the Stena Impero on Friday after it collided with an Iranian fishing vessel.

According to Iran's state-run IRNA news service, Stena Impero was seized after it was involved in a collision but failed to respond to an attempt at contact made by the boat it hit.

Read more: Iranian forces seized 2 British tankers on Friday in an escalation against the US and UK

However, the seizure comes just weeks after the UK seized an Iranian tanker travelling through the Strait of Gibraltar, and many believe that it is an act of retaliation against the UK.

Authorities in the British territory of Gibraltar seized the Grace 1 tanker on July 5, saying they thought it was taking its cargo to a government-owned oil refinery in Syria, an act that would violate European Union sanctions.