A Royal Navy warship has faced 115 confrontations with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Gulf since the start of July, its captain has disclosed.

Commander Will King, 41, said the Iranian military had “heavily” tested HMS Montrose almost daily with fast attack craft and drones deployed as close as 200 metres to “intimidate” his ship. Tehran harboured “a continuous intent to disrupt or interfere with UK interests in the area”, he said.

Iranian personnel have directed aggressive messages over the radio to their British naval counterparts and mocked the Type 23 frigate after she failed to prevent the seizing of the UK-flagged Stena Impero six weeks ago.

The seriousness of the Iranians’ intent, after their humiliating withdrawal from an attempt to snatch another