Spokesman Raps British Minister’s Anti-Iran Comments

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Abbas Mousavi decried Murrison’s “unconstructive” stances after his recent visit to Tehran.

The British minister was in Iran and held meetings with a number of officials to get acquainted with the Islamic Republic’s stances, the spokesman said, adding that the Iranian authorities have reiterated Tehran’s views, because Murrison is a newcomer and has recently entered this profession.

“We do not view with favor what he (Murrison) has said after the visit (to Iran) and do not deem them constructive,” Mousavi added.

The British move to align its policies with the US’ (anti-Iran) policies is unacceptable to Iran, he underlined, saying the UK is mired in a host of internal problems and is grappling with Brexit.

Murrison met with senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday. After the meetings, the UK government quoted him as saying, “In Tehran I was clear about the UK’s long-held concerns over Iran’s activities in the region.”

“I reiterated the UK’s assessment that Iran almost certainly bears responsibility for recent attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Such activity, which carries a high risk of miscalculation, needs to stop to allow for immediate de-escalation of rising tensions,” Murrison has said.

In one of Murrison’s meetings on Sunday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi criticized the UK government’s one-sided stances on regional issues, including its baseless accusations against Iran after recent attacks on oil tankers.

Arqchi also told the British diplomat, “It appears that the British government’s entanglement with the predicament of Brexit has prevented it from having a correct understanding of the global realities. Immature companionship with the US’ bully-style measures will result in nothing but an increase in the Iranians’ historical aversion to the UK policies.”