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Iran is a “malign” threat whose influence clouds the conflict in Gaza and heightens tensions in the Red Sea where ships are being threatened as they sail cargo transit routes, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.
He was speaking after a visit to Egypt, where he saw aid lorries close to the border with Gaza, and Jordan.
Last week, he joined German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock in calling for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza that can be a step towards a two-state future developed with Arab help.
Lord Cameron, speaking to the Telegraph newspaper, named Iran as one of the five significant crises threatening the world – the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, terrorism and climate change being the others.
“Iran is a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world – there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“You’ve got the Houthis, you’ve got Hezbollah, you’ve got the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that have actually been attacking British and American bases, troops.
“And, of course, Hamas. So you’ve got all of these proxies, and I think it’s incredibly important that, first of all, Iran receives an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated.
“Second of all, we need to work with our allies to develop a really strong set of deterrent measures against Iran, and it’s important that we do that.
“The level of danger and insecurity in the world is at an extremely high level compared with previous years and decades, and the Iran threat is a part of that picture.”
He said attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have global significance.
The US, citing newly released intelligence, said Iran was “deeply involved” in the planning of the Houthi attacks. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian called the allegations baseless.
Mr Cameron also said he understood Israel’s demand to know what is being shipped into Gaza.
“In the past, some of the economic and other support that went into Gaza, and ordinary trade and commercial trade, there is no doubt that some of those things have been used for tunnelling or dual use goods that could be used for worse things,” he said.
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Israeli soldiers at the entrance of a tunnel 400 metres from the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel, in the Palestinian town of Beit Hanun. EPA -
Israeli soldiers at an entrance to the tunnel in northern Gaza. EPA -
Israeli army spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari in an entrance of the tunnel. EPA -
Israeli soldiers investigate the tunnel. Reuters -
Israel's military says the the tunnel was dug by Hamas to get fighters across the border for surprise attacks. Reuters -
Israeli soldiers inside the tunnel. Israel says this is the biggest tunnel discovered in the Israel-Gaza war. EPA -
Admiral Hagari inspects the tunnel. Israel says Hamas militants used the tunnel to attack the Erez crossing. EPA -
Israeli soldiers investigate the tunnel. AP -
Israeli troops inside the iron-girdered tunnel AFP -
Israeli troops inside the tunnel 400 metres from the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel. AP
“I think that’s an important argument to understand. But it’s a different argument to this argument about aid. What we’re talking about now is food, water, medicine, shelter.
“Those things really by and large can’t be used for military purposes in any way, and so the interest is to get as much of that aid in as possible.
“Now I accept, absolutely, that Israel will want to check that that’s the case. But, within that constraint, I think it’s important to get more aid in.”
On Friday, the UN Security Council adopted on a UAE-drafted resolution aimed at scaling up aid into Gaza and setting the conditions for a reduction in violence.
