Tehran Summons British Ambassador Over ‘Baseless’ Accusations
TEHRAN — Iran summoned Britain’s ambassador to Tehran on Tuesday and demanded London produce evidence for its “baseless” accusation that Tehran was behind an alleged plot at RAF Fairford, warning that failure to do so would force a serious reconsideration of bilateral relations, the Foreign Ministry said.
Hugo Shorter was summoned by Alireza Yousefi, assistant to the foreign minister and director-general
for Western Europe, who conveyed Iran’s “strong protest” over what Tehran called Britain’s “irresponsible and destructive” approach, according to IRNA.
“You cannot evade accountability and your international responsibility for participating in the military aggression of the US and Israeli regimes against Iran — and for your long-standing hosting of anti-Iranian terrorist groups — by projecting blame and raising baseless accusations against Iran,” Yousefi told the ambassador, according to the ministry’s account of the meeting.
The director-general said Britain must substantiate its claims.
“The British government must provide the documents and evidence for its accusations against Iran regarding the alleged incident at Fairford base as soon as possible,” Yousefi said.
“Otherwise, the Islamic Republic of Iran will seriously reconsider bilateral relations, and the responsibility for its consequences will fall on the British government.”
Shorter said he would convey the message to officials in London.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry condemned Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s allegation to Parliament that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps was “almost certainly” behind the September incident, calling it a “false-flag” scheme to advance an “anti-Iran agenda.”
“The British government cannot evade its political and legal responsibility for its claims and their potential consequences by hiding behind ambiguous language without providing solid evidence and substantiated reasons,” the ministry said.
The statement hit out at London for leaning on phrases such as “highly likely” and “almost certainly” to make its case look convincing, “in a transparent bid to avoid answering for groundless charges.”
“Britain has a known history of manufacturing security allegations against other states, some of which have fueled destructive tensions in West Asia,” the ministry added.
Tehran said the British government, along with those who devised and carried out the false-flag operation, “will bear the consequences.”
Burnham told Parliament that the IRGC was “almost certainly” behind the suspected plot and announced sanctions on two Iranian nationals over alleged “hostile activity.”
London has yet to publicly produce conclusive proof of Iranian involvement.
“You cannot evade accountability and your international responsibility for participating in the military aggression of the US and Israeli regimes against Iran — and for your long-standing hosting of anti-Iranian terrorist groups — by projecting blame and raising baseless accusations against Iran,” Yousefi told the ambassador, according to the ministry’s account of the meeting.
The director-general said Britain must substantiate its claims.
“The British government must provide the documents and evidence for its accusations against Iran regarding the alleged incident at Fairford base as soon as possible,” Yousefi said.
“Otherwise, the Islamic Republic of Iran will seriously reconsider bilateral relations, and the responsibility for its consequences will fall on the British government.”
Shorter said he would convey the message to officials in London.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry condemned Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s allegation to Parliament that Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps was “almost certainly” behind the September incident, calling it a “false-flag” scheme to advance an “anti-Iran agenda.”
“The British government cannot evade its political and legal responsibility for its claims and their potential consequences by hiding behind ambiguous language without providing solid evidence and substantiated reasons,” the ministry said.
The statement hit out at London for leaning on phrases such as “highly likely” and “almost certainly” to make its case look convincing, “in a transparent bid to avoid answering for groundless charges.”
“Britain has a known history of manufacturing security allegations against other states, some of which have fueled destructive tensions in West Asia,” the ministry added.
Tehran said the British government, along with those who devised and carried out the false-flag operation, “will bear the consequences.”
Burnham told Parliament that the IRGC was “almost certainly” behind the suspected plot and announced sanctions on two Iranian nationals over alleged “hostile activity.”
London has yet to publicly produce conclusive proof of Iranian involvement.