Tehran Rejects ’Baseless’ UK Claims About Links to Criminal Groups

By Staff, Agencies

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks on Thursday, three days after UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced sanctions on Foxtrot and its leader, Rawa Majid, claiming that the Swedish-based gang had been involved in "violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of" Tehran without providing any evidence.

Iran has condemned as "baseless and unjust" the recent accusations leveled by Britain that the Islamic Republic is connected with certain criminal groups.

Baghaei said attributing the actions of certain groups to Iran is a clear blame game meant to cover up Britain’s own destabilizing activities, particularly in West Asia.

“Making such claims against Iran reflects a misguided policy that the UK government has, in recent years, become somewhat addicted to," he added.

The spokesman also noted that London has repeated its unfounded claims without any evidence despite Tehran's calls for the UK to provide proof supporting its allegations.

He further emphasized that the UK government's policy of making anti-Iran claims will bring nothing but will discredit it.

“The British regime must understand that pursuing a policy of unfounded ‘claims and accusations’ against the Islamic Republic of Iran will deepen distrust and further disrupt diplomatic relations – for which the UK will bear responsibility," Baghaei said.

Earlier, the Iranian embassy in London said it had submitted a note of protest to the British government regarding the allegations.

"We consider such baseless positions and destructive conduct to be detrimental to the bilateral relations and urge the UK to refrain from pursuing hostile approaches towards Iran," it said in a statement.