British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has told Iran to call on its Middle East allies to cease and desist as official London is running out of patience.
Shapps singled out Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, both key allies of Tehran.
The UK has joined the US in launching airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Iranian-backed political and military group – which controls much of Yemen – has been targeting the ships in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Shapps said Iran has a vital role to play in de-escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Asked about his message to the Iranian government in Tehran, he said they had to do something.
“You have to rein in the Houthi rebels, others who act as your proxies, Lebanon’s Hezbollah are obvious examples, and some in Iraq and Syria, you have to force these various organizations to cease and desist because we, the world, are running out of patience,” Shapps said.
Shapps also said the UK was “acting in self-defence” over the threat to ships and last month’s drone attack on the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond.
“We see you, we see what you do. We see how you do it, especially the Houthi rebels, and nothing good can come of that,” Shapps pointed out, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
