<span style="color: #222222;">Iran today termed as provocative a British proposal for a European-led naval mission to escort tankers in the Gulf, amid soaring tensions over the seizure of ships.<br />''<br />''Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said, the intention to send a European fleet to the Persian Gulf which naturally carries a hostile message, is provocative and will increase tensions.<br />''<br />''Britain said on Monday, it was planning a European-led force to escort tankers through the world's busiest oil shipping lane in response to Iran's seizure of a UK-flagged vessel on July 19.<br />''<br />''The seizure of the Stena Impero came two weeks after British authorities detained an Iranian tanker — the Grace 1 — off its overseas territory Gibraltar on allegations it was breaching EU sanctions on Syria.<br />''<br />''In his comments, Mr Rabiei said, Iran believed the security of the oil-rich Gulf had to be maintained by countries in the region.<br />''<br />''Britain on Thursday ordered its navy to escort UK-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz, where the Stena Impero was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.</span><br />