Jeremy Hunt has proposed a European-led naval task force to protect against Iranian threats in the Persian Gulf, as he called Tehran’s hijacking of a UK-flagged tanker an act of “state piracy”.

The Foreign Secretary said he had wanted to “keep diplomacy going”, but the seizure last week by Iran of the Stena Impero tanker meant it had to take more robust action.

"If Iran continues on this dangerous path, they must accept the price will be a larger Western military presence in the waters along their coastline,” he said. “Not because we wish to increase tensions but simply because freedom of navigation is a principle which Britain and its allies will always defend."

The UK will now ask all British-flagged ships to give the Government notice of intention to pass through the Strait of Hormuz - the world’s most important oil chokepoint, Mr Hunt said.