Mike Pompeo has called on the UK to “take care of their ships” in the Strait of Hormuz amid increasing tensions between Tehran and the West since Iran seized a British oil tanker .

The US secretary of state said in an interview with Fox News on Monday “the responsibility in the first instance falls to the United Kingdom”.

“This is a bad regime, it’s not honouring the people of Iran, they’ve not conducted what amounts to national piracy — a nation state taking over a ship that’s travelling in international waters — this is the kind of behaviour we’ve seen out of Iran for 40 years.

"The United States has a responsibility to do our part, but the world has a big role in this too to keep those sea lanes open,” said Mr Pompeo.

Confrontation between the United States and Iran has spiralled since last year when Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement signed by his predecessor Barack Obama which guaranteed Iran access to world trade in return for curbs to its nuclear programme.

Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Show all 17 1 /17 Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, their surface-to-air missile is seen as it shoots down a US surveillance drone EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures This photo shows US RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned surveillance drone. A drone of this model was shot down by Iran on Thursday 21 June AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An oil tanker is on fire after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13. The US has blamed Iran for the attack Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, debris from the downed US drone is seen after it was recovered from Iranian waters AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures US President Trump holds up a signed executive order to increase sanctions on Iran on 24 June AP Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iranian President Rouhani stated in a televised address that the White House is "afflicted by mental retardation" following the increase in sanctions on 25 June EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An Iranian navy boat tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Iran claims that in this picture released by Iran state TV, debris from the downed US drone is seen after it was recovered from Iranian waters AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A screenshot from a video released by the US Department of Defense that the US claims to show Iranian removing an unexploded limpet mine form the hull of the Japan-owned ship that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures An item reportedly found on the Japan-owned oil tanker that was attacked on June 13 in the Gulf of Oman AFP/Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A handout photograph from the US Department of Defense shows a composite material that the US claim was left behind on the hull of the Japan-owned oil tanker following the removal of an unexploded limpet mine Getty Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures A view from the cabin of an Iranian navy boat as it tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack EPA Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Release by US government A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The picture suggests that the ship is 'likely' to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13 Reuters Tensions high as Trump approves new Iran sanctions: In pictures Release by US government A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The pictures suggests that the ship is 'likely' to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack EPA

Since then, Iran has stepped up its nuclear activity beyond limits in the deal and Washington has accused Tehran of attacking ships in the Gulf. In June, after Iran shot down a US drone, Trump ordered retaliatory air strikes, only to abort them minutes before impact, the closest the United States has come to bombing Iran in their 40 year history of animosity.

Last week the United States said it had shot down an Iranian drone, which Tehran denied.

In a statement Friday, a spokesperson for the US Naval Forces Central Command said the department was in contact with US vessels in order to “ensure their safety.”

Meanwhile, the Trump administration was preparing an international coalition of “like-minded nations” called an Operation Sentinel in an effort to block Tehran from preventing commercial shipping in the region, the Associated Press reported.

The US is also expected to deploy fighter aircraft, air defence missiles and over 500 troops to a nearby Saudi airbase as tensions continue to rise, the news outlet reported.

Washington's major European allies Britain, France and Germany opposed Trump's decision to quit the nuclear deal and have tried to remain neutral. But Britain was drawn more directly into the confrontation on 4 July when its Royal Marines seized an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar, accused of violating European sanctions on Syria.

Iran repeatedly threatened to retaliate for that incident and has made little secret that its capture of the Stena Impero two weeks later was intended as a retaliatory move. It says the ship is being held over safety concerns and the 23-member crew, including 18 Indians and no British citizens, are safe.

On Monday, Mr Pompeo also dismissed Iran’s announcement it had captured 17 spies working for the CIA and sentenced some to death.

Iran made the announcement in state media, saying the alleged spies had been arrested in the year before March 2019. Such announcements are not unusual in Iran, but the timing has raised concerns that Tehran is hardening its position in its standoff with Western powers.

“The Iranian regime has a long history of lying ... I would take with a significant grain of salt any Iranian assertion about actions that they’ve taken,” Mr Pompeo said.

Mr Pompeo declined to comment about any specific cases, but added: “There’s a long list of Americans that we are working to get home from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Donald Trump also refuted the reports in a tweet on Monday morning, writing, “The Report of Iran capturing CIA spies is totally false.”

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“Zero truth,” the president wrote. “Just more lies and propaganda (like their shot down drone) put out by a Religious Regime that is Badly Failing and has no idea what to do.”

“Their Economy is dead, and will get much worse,” he added. “Iran is a total mess!”