TEHRAN, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) denied that its naval forces intended to stop a British oil tanker in the country's southern waters on Thursday, Iranian state TV reported.

"The IRGC's Navy vessels carry out their regular patrolling missions in the Gulf with vigilance, precision and strength," the IRGC Navy's Fifth Naval Zone said in a statement.

"In the past 24 hours, there has been no encounter with foreign ships, including British ones," the statement was quoted as reading by Press TV.

Earlier on Thursday, Britain's Ministry of Defence said that Iranian boats tried to impede a British oil tanker near the Gulf, before being driven off by a Royal Navy ship.

Following the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker, allegedly heading to Syria, by British Royal Marines in the Strait of Gibraltar last week, Iran warned Britain of the "consequences."