Tehran: Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador to Tehran, Hugo Shorter, in response to the recent anti-Iran statements made by senior British officials.
In a statement released on Friday, the ministry expressed its protest over the “groundless accusations” made by British officials, which included claims that Tehran sought to interfere in Britain’s internal affairs.
During the meeting, Alireza Yousefi, the assistant foreign minister and director general for Western Europe, criticized the British government’s “biased and unfounded” positions against Iran, stating that they contradicted international law and diplomatic norms. He warned that such actions would lead to greater distrust among the Iranian people toward Britain’s policies and its stance on the West Asia region.
Yousefi urged the British government to reconsider and revise its “counterproductive” approach toward Iran. The British ambassador assured that he would relay Iran’s protest to his government.
The tensions follow remarks made by British Security Minister Dan Jarvis in a speech to parliament on Tuesday, in which he announced plans to include Iran’s state apparatus, including its intelligence services, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Ministry of Intelligence, in an upcoming Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. Jarvis claimed that Iran had escalated its direct actions against targets in Britain, including dissidents, media organizations, and journalists.
In a statement on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected these claims as “unfounded” and reiterated the call for Britain to halt its “destructive” policies towards Iran and the broader West Asia region.