Iran has threatened to hold the US and UK “accountable” following a series of joint strikes in Yemen.
The country’s foreign ministry released a statement this afternoon condemning the two nations’ response to recent attacks carried out by Houthi Rebels in the Red Sea.
The nations have so far struck 36 targets in Yemen, from where the rebels have carried out the attacks on Western vessels, prompting a response from Iran’s foreign ministry.
In a statement released this afternoon, the nation said it “strongly condemns” the actions of the allied nations.
And it has called on the international community to hold the US and UK “accountable”.
Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, branded the joint strikes in Yemen a “repeated violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and a “worrying threat to international peace and security”.
The spokesman also claimed that the strikes have stoked “chaos” and “disorder” in the region and accused the nations of going against their stated aims of non-escalation.
He said: “The United States and Britain are, with their military actions across the region, stoking chaos, disorder, insecurity and instability aimed at creating some breathing space for the criminal Zionist regime which stands accused of committing genocide against Palestinians.
“Undoubtedly, the international community has a responsibility to hold the United States and Britain accountable.”
Mr Kanaani said the strikes were “clear conflict” with claims that the UK and US did not wish to escalate the conflict in the Middle East.
UK defence secretary Grant Shapps has denied this is the case as RAF Typhoon jets hit 36 new targets on Saturday night.
Mr Shapps said the latest round of strikes were carried out not to escalate the conflict but to “protect innocent lives and preserve freedom of navigation”.
A coalition of eight nations, including the UK, US, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand, have helped protect commercial ships as they are targeted by Houthis believing they are linked to Israel.
The coalition has said they were acting in response to these continued attacks on the Red Sea.
Rishi Sunak has branded the attacks on Western vessels “unacceptable” and said it is the West’s “duty to protect innocent lives and preserve freedom”.
