British Army Chief General Nick Carter stated on Wednesday that it is time to adopt a tougher approach towards Iran, following a series of incidents targeting global shipping, which London claims Tehran is involved in.
Carter remarked in a radio interview, "What we essentially need to do is hold Iran accountable for its very reckless behavior." He added, "They made a significant mistake in the attack against the Mercer Street ship last week. It has largely internationalized the situation in the Gulf."
He continued, "Ultimately, we need to restore deterrence because such behavior leads to escalation." He emphasized that if Iranian behavior is not deterred, "it could easily lead to a serious miscalculation, which would be catastrophic for everyone in the Gulf and the international community."
Experts have begun discussing scenarios for an international military response to Iran following the targeting of the Israeli oil tanker Mercer Street in the Arabian Sea a few days ago. They believe that the response to the attack on the tanker could involve four possibilities: military strikes, the imposition of new economic and military sanctions, or requiring Tehran to pay reparations.
The scenarios also include seeking a resolution from the United Nations Security Council to politically and economically strangulate the Iranian regime, similar to what happened with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime.
The likelihood of the international community taking a tougher stance against Iran has increased due to a suspicious incident that occurred in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday evening, where armed attackers boarded an oil tanker, which maritime security sources claimed were linked to Iran.
Although the incident ended and the attackers left the ship, it leaves the impression that Iran will not allow disruptions to international trade at sea to go unchallenged.
