Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized the display of a drone, allegedly Iranian-made, at the British Parliament, labeling it a “pathetic show” orchestrated by the Israeli lobby. Abbas Araqchi, a high-ranking Iranian diplomat, took to social media platform X to voice his condemnation of the event, which took place on October 14th. He accused those hostile to friendly relations between Iran and Europe of fabricating narratives and attempting to damage diplomatic ties.
The controversy stems from an event organized by the U.S.-based pressure group, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), in collaboration with British parliamentarians. The display featured a Shahed-136 drone, which organizers claimed was of Iranian origin and had been shot down in Ukraine during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski was present at the event.
The event served as a platform to publicly condemn what was described as military cooperation between Iran and Russia. Tehran was portrayed as a key partner in destabilizing European security by providing Moscow with drones. This narrative has been consistently refuted by the Iranian government.
In response to the drone display, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Polish chargé d’affaires in Tehran last week to lodge a strong protest against the Polish Foreign Minister’s participation. The ministry described the event as a “violation of diplomatic norms” and a “political stunt” based on repeated, unsubstantiated accusations. Iran maintains that the accusations of supplying Russia with drones are baseless.
Iran has repeatedly denied providing Russia with drones for use in the Ukrainian conflict, asserting that it sold a limited number of drones to Russia before the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022. Despite these denials, Western powers continue to express concern over the alleged Iranian support for Russia’s military operations.
Iran has consistently stated its willingness to engage in practical discussions and exchange documents to clarify the facts surrounding the drone allegations. This offer is extended despite what it views as deliberately misleading and provocative actions, like the drone display in the UK Parliament. The Iranian government maintains that such events are designed to undermine its relations with European nations and perpetuate a negative image of Iran on the international stage. The “pathetic show,” as described by Iranian officials, highlights the ongoing tensions and disagreements between Iran and Western powers regarding its foreign policy and alleged military support for Russia. The situation remains sensitive and requires careful diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
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