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CANBERRA - The Royal Australian Navy is reviewing security procedures for its personnel in the Persian Gulf following the seizure of 15 British sailors by Iranian forces.
The ongoing detention of the British personnel has sparked a diplomatic crisis, with London warning negotiations could "move into a new phase" if they are not released immediately.
The crew were taken prisoner at gunpoint in the disputed Shat al-Arab waterway between Iraq and Iran seven days ago.
The British were conducting searches of cargo vessels at the time, operating from small inflatable speed boats.
The work is also undertaken by Australian sailors, operating from similar speed boats with helicopter support.
HMAS Toowoomba, which is crewed by about 190 personnel, is the Australian warship currently patrolling the area.
Asked if Australian forces were stepping up security measures in light of the drama, a spokesman for Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said: "The Australian force in the Middle East continually monitors the situation and level of threat and adjusts force protection measures to meet those conditions."
Australian vessels have had several tense incidents with Iranian gunboats in the area.
Last year two Australian servicemen received the Distinguished Service Medal for coolly diffusing a situation that threatened to blow up into a major international incident.
On December 6, 2004, crew from HMAS Adelaide were sent to check a cargo ship run aground at the mouth of the Shat al-Arab, but once the Australians boarded the vessel they were surrounded by six heavily armed Iranian gunboats.
Following a long and tense stand off, all members of the boarding party were winched into an Australian helicopter and to safety.
Tensions between Britain and Iran have escalated in recent days, with Tehran putting off freeing a female prisoner and London calling her treatment "outrageous and cruel".
Britain has drafted a strongly worded statement for the UN Security Council seeking to persuade European Union members to join it in cutting back diplomatic relations with Tehran.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was disgusted by Iran's treatment of the prisoners, adding he would not enter "tit-for-tat" negotiations to secure their release.
Iran has shown the prisoners and has distributed letters purportedly from the only female captive, Faye Turney, confessing to entering Iranian waters.
Britain denies their boat was in Iranian waters.
The dispute has further stoked Middle East tensions, already heightened over concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions, and sent tremors through the oil market.
- AAP
