Tensions between the UK and Iran exploded last month after Royal Marines detained an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Gibraltar. British authorities claimed the tanker was going to violate EU sanctions by travelling to Syria. In retaliation Iran seized the Stena Impero, a UK registered oil tanker.
In an article for the US National Interest magazine Michael Peck suggested Britain would have the technological edge in any conflict.
He commented: “While Iran may or may not be developing nuclear weapons, Britain most certainly has them.
“Four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines, each armed with 16 Trident thermonuclear-armed ballistic missiles.
“That’s enough atomic firepower to send Russia and China back to the Middle Ages, let alone Iran.”
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However Mr Peck pointed out the UK would be very unlikely to use these for political and humanitarian reasons.
Focusing on conventional forces he made it clear Britain has far better equipment than its possible foe.
He described the Iranian airforce as a “museum mix of a handful of old American-made F-14 and F-4 fighters, Russian made aircraft that fled from Iraq to Iran and were interned, and Iranian designs such as the Saeqeh, which looks remarkably like the F-5 fighters the US sold to Iran in the 1970s.”
By contrast “Britain has the advanced Eurofighter Typhoon, has now received its first F-35 stealth fighters, and can support its combat aircraft with an array of tankers, electronic warfare planes, and drones”.
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Over the past couple of months a number of oil tankers have been hit by explosions whilst passing through the Persian Gulf.
The US has blamed Iran, but Tehran vehemently denies responsibility.
Mr Peck did point out that in any likely war with Britain the Iranians would be operating from hope waters, allowing them to deploy guerrilla tactics.
However he also noted it is unlikely the UK would fight alone, and would likely be accompanied by the US and potentially some European allies as well.