In a statement on Thursday, Qassemi condemned London’s “irresponsible” move to echo Riyadh’s anti-Iran allegations.
“It is ironic that British officials take such stances and make such statements against Iran in meetings with the officials of a country like Saudi Arabia, which has invaded Yemen, caused a humanitarian disaster there, and committed war crimes in the country,” he noted.
“For years, Saudi Arabia has been the main source, promoter, and sponsor of extremism, terrorism, and warmongering in the Middle East and the world,” he went on to say.
Qassemi noted that the political support and the arms provided by the UK and some other countries like the US for Saudi Arabia are threats against the security, peace, and stability of the entire region.
“Such moves by the UK (echoing Saudi Arabia’s allegations) will make the European country’s responsibility for the creation, exacerbation, and continuation of crises in Western Asia heavier, and make it more difficult, costly, and time-consuming to achieve peace and [ensure] cooperation among regional states,” Qassemi said.
“All countries in the world, including the UK, and the international community in general, are expected to put Riyadh under pressure and hold it accountable to stop its war and bloodshed in Yemen and end the export of extremist and terrorist ideologies,” he noted, adding that they should not trade global peace and security for their short-term economic gains.
Qassemi’s comments came after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country agreed with Britain on the need to deter Iran and stop its “support for terrorism.”
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, for his part, claimed that the Islamic Republic was destabilizing the region and playing a destructive and dangerous role in Yemen.
Johnson and Al-Jubeir made the comments during a joint press conference in London on Wednesday, on the sidelines of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit.
The visit has been strongly condemned by thousands of protesters in various parts of the UK, who held protest rallies to slam the Arab country’s war crimes in Yemen.
