Just when junior foreign office minister Andrew Murrison was on a mission to Tehran to ostensibly “reduce” tensions in the Persian Gulf region, his superior, UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt indicated that Britain would be ready to join the United States in attacking Iran. RNA - As initially reported by the Sun newspaper Hunt said that Britain would consider requests for military support “on a case by case basis.”Hunt reportedly made the incendiary comments during a campaign trip to Scotland.
This rhetoric has been matched by actions on the ground, reportedly by the deployment of elite Special Boat Service (SBS) commandos to the Persian Gulf to ostensibly help protect shipping and other British assets in the region.
Many in Britain will view the deployment of the SBS commandos as an unnecessary and provocative move which only adds to regional tensions and helps create the perception of an inevitable drift towards military conflict.
According to Press TV, during his visit to Tehran Murrison echoed Hunt’s unfounded accusation against Iran by urging Iranian officials to stop what he calls “attacks” in the Gulf of Oman.
However, London’s deceptive maneuvers fell on deaf ears in Tehran as Murrison was shunned by high-ranking officials, including foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. More embarrassingly for Murrison, Abbas Araghchi, the political deputy at the Iranian foreign ministry, dismissed him as an “inexperienced” diplomat.
It seems that in the Persian Gulf arena Britain is confusing diplomacy with warmongering and failing to make the desired impact.
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