The UK has joined forces with the US to launch a naval operation in the Persian Gulf . But on Monday those hopes were rebuffed again by Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, who repeated that his country would not join in a US-led operation: “At the moment the Britons would rather join an American mission. The move contrasts with the reluctance of other EU countries , France and Spain in particular , to support any US - led mission in the region , and marks the abandonment of plans for a UK - led mission , which were put forward by the former UK Foreign Secretary , Jeremy Hunt .
The UK has joined forces with the US to launch a naval operation in the Persian Gulf . The move contrasts with the reluctance of other EU countries , France and Spain in particular , to support any US - led mission in the region , and marks the abandonment of plans for a UK - led mission , which were put forward by the former UK Foreign Secretary , Jeremy Hunt .