VIDEO The Iranian flag flies on the seized British tanker

Iranian state television released footage showing the Iranian flag flying on a seized British-flagged tanker.

On July 19, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that it had "confiscated" the British tanker "Stena Impero" in the Strait of Hormuz.

The footage of the seizure of the British tanker "Stena Impero" published the day before yesterday shows Iranian commandos in black phantoms and military uniforms descending from a helicopter onto the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

It has been announced that the outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May will preside over an extraordinary cabinet meeting today dedicated to the response to the Iranian seizure of a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Ministers and security officials will discuss ways to protect ships in the sensitive region, crucial to global oil supplies.

Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt is expected to brief parliament on the details of the seizure of the Stena Impero tanker, which is currently in a well-guarded Iranian port.

London is considering several options to increase pressure on Iran, but officials say military action is not on the table for now.

Great Britain is also trying to gain the diplomatic and operational support of the main European allies in order to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for navigation.