Iran warns UK against aiding aggressors

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband by phone Friday that any cooperation with parties attacking Iran was unacceptable and an act of aggression under international law, Mehr News Agency reported.

Araghchi criticized Britain’s recent designation of Iran’s armed forces and what Mehr described as Britain’s complicity in two imposed wars by the United States and Israel. He said London’s approach was “unjustified” and required reconsideration.

Araghchi said the main cause of the current regional situation was U.S. and Israeli military aggression against Iran. He said Iran had entered diplomacy in good faith and reached a ceasefire memorandum on June 18, but that the United States had again violated its commitments and blocked its implementation.

“Under international law and the resolution on the definition of aggression, allowing aggressor parties to use a country's territory and facilities for an illegal attack on another country constitutes an act of aggression and entitles the attacked country to resort to legitimate defence,” Araghchi said.

Araghchi also stressed Iran’s determination to establish operational mechanisms with Oman for managing shipping transit through the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that third-party obstruction would only complicate the situation.

Miliband said Britain was not part of the war with Iran and believed in diplomacy to resolve issues, according to Mehr. He stressed the need to continue diplomatic engagement with Iran to improve relations and reduce regional tensions.