<span style="color: #222222;">Britain today ordered its navy to escort UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian soldiers seized a tanker in the flashpoint entrance to the Gulf. The defence ministry said, the Royal Navy has been tasked to accompany British-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz.<br />'' <br />'' The week-long standoff over the British-flagged Stena Impero and its 23-member crew has inflamed tensions between the Islamic republic and the United Kingdom.<br />'' <br />'' Britain responded on Monday by proposing a European-led mission that could secure the passage of vessels through the world's busiest oil shipping lane but France said today it was not willing to send extra military assets to the Gulf.<br />'' <br />'' Iran had earlier warned Britain that it intended to retaliate for UK marines' involvement of the seizure of its own supertanker near Gibraltar on July 4. Britain currently has the HMS Montrose warship in the Gulf and a handful of smaller naval vessels.</span><br />'' <br />''