UK joins United States for maritime security mission in Gulf

FILE PHOTO: Ben Wallace arrives at Downing Street, in London, Britain July 24, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Monday joined the United States in a maritime security mission in the Gulf to protect merchant vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran seized a British-flagged vessel.

British officials stressed that there was no change to London's policy on Iran but joining the United States is the most significant non-Brexit foreign policy move to date of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's 12-day-old government.