South Korea plans to join a US-led maritime force in the Middle East by sending a naval unit, which includes a destroyer, to help guard oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, a South Korean newspaper reported on Monday.

South Korea navy may join US-led coalition in Strait of Hormuz: Report

Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa's southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama.

Flags of inconvenience - Noose tightens around Iranian shipping

In a move to ease the tensions with Iran, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Saturday said a tanker held by Gibraltar would be released if Tehran guaranteed it was not heading to Syria.

'Concern was destination not origin of oil': UK says Iran tanker will be freed after guarantees on destination

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian foreign minister heads to New York for UN conference amid soaring tension with US: Report

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of secretly enriching uranium for a long time and warned that US sanctions will be increased soon, as the UN nuclear watchdog held an emergency meeting on Tehran's breach of a nuclear deal.

Sanctions on Iran 'will soon be increased, substantially', says US President Trump

Iran's uranium enrichment level passed 4.5 per cent on Monday, exceeding the 2015 nuclear deal cap, Iranian atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said.

Iran says uranium enrichment passes 4.5%, exceeding deal cap

In the face of new sanctions levied against Iran, Russia has insisted that it will continue to support the country

Russia backs Iran on US sanctions

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