Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the public statement by Commander Will King on 2 September that HMS Montrose has been subjected to 115 separate confrontations with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; what assessment they have made of the nature and range of those confrontations; and what steps they are taking in response.

Assessments have been conducted by in-theatre and UK based personnel, which concluded that the vast majority of the interactions in recent months between HMS MONTROSE and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were safe and professional. Where there were active attempts to interfere with passage of British vessels, HMS MONTROSE responded within extant military direction.

The UK has deployed additional warships to the Gulf to ensure a consistent presence to reassure the merchant vessel community, and deter any malign behaviour. The UK has also joined the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), under which we will work with partner nations to ensure the free flow of commerce through the region.