UK and U.S. Pledge 'Strong Response' As Iran Now 'Accomplice' To Putin
18 January 2023
he top U.S. and British diplomats on Tuesday pledged strong international response to hold the Iranian regime to account for the violations of the rights of its own people and by making itself accomplices to Putin’s assault on Ukraine, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the State Department.
"For years, Iran's leaders have inflicted bloodshed on their regional neighbours by arming and supporting military extremists and militias. Now Iran has gone further and supplied Russia with the drones that we use to kill civilians in Ukraine," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Department.
The UK, Cleverly added, will join with the U..S and other allies to hold the Iranian regime to account for its actions. Speaking about Iranian protests, he said, there have been around 500 fatalities because of the crackdown from the Iranian regime against their own people; 18,000 people arrested by the regime.
"The leadership of Iran is a decision for the Iranian people, but I would just make the simple observation that the Iranian people are telling their government that they are not at all happy with the situation that they are living under and the limitations and privations. And it is in the hands of the Iranian Government to make those changes," he said.
Washington and London have also worked "hand in glove" to support Ukraine since the start of the conflict, according to Cleverly.
"If Putin believed that the world would succumb to Ukraine fatigue and lose the will to resist his ambitions then that was once again another colossal misjudgment on his part" he said.
Blinken agreed: "There had been a narrative that the Russians were trying to push for many weeks and many months that they’re interested in diplomacy in Ukraine and we are not. That of course is entirely false," he said.
Putin’s own words showed that he had no interest in genuine negotiations, he said, citing a recent Kremlin statement after Putin held talks with Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Putin said Russia was ready for dialogue if Ukraine accepted what he called “new territorial realities,” a clear reference to territory seized by Russian forces.
"In other words, unless and until Ukraine acknowledges and accepts the fact that territory that Russia has seized by force, it’s not getting back, there’s nothing to negotiate. That of course is in and of itself a nonstarter," Blinken said.
He also added that more announcements of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine is expected “in the days to come.”
As for Iran, the top U.S. diplomat made it clear that the world has been 'appalled' by Iranian regime's actions — mass arrests, sham trials, the executions, the use of sexual violence as a tool for protest suppression.
"... Not just us – countries around the world are watching this, seeing this, and share the revulsion that we have. And these abuses will not go without consequence," Blniken said.
"Together with many other countries, we’ve been moving forward with a variety of unilateral actions, multilateral measures, using UN mechanisms to try to hold Iran to account. And that’s played out in a number of different places in a number of different ways, and it will continue as long as necessary," he concluded.
Alex Raufoglu
Washington D.C.
https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2023/1/free/politics_news/en/505.htm
"For years, Iran's leaders have inflicted bloodshed on their regional neighbours by arming and supporting military extremists and militias. Now Iran has gone further and supplied Russia with the drones that we use to kill civilians in Ukraine," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Department.
The UK, Cleverly added, will join with the U..S and other allies to hold the Iranian regime to account for its actions. Speaking about Iranian protests, he said, there have been around 500 fatalities because of the crackdown from the Iranian regime against their own people; 18,000 people arrested by the regime.
"The leadership of Iran is a decision for the Iranian people, but I would just make the simple observation that the Iranian people are telling their government that they are not at all happy with the situation that they are living under and the limitations and privations. And it is in the hands of the Iranian Government to make those changes," he said.
Washington and London have also worked "hand in glove" to support Ukraine since the start of the conflict, according to Cleverly.
"If Putin believed that the world would succumb to Ukraine fatigue and lose the will to resist his ambitions then that was once again another colossal misjudgment on his part" he said.
Blinken agreed: "There had been a narrative that the Russians were trying to push for many weeks and many months that they’re interested in diplomacy in Ukraine and we are not. That of course is entirely false," he said.
Putin’s own words showed that he had no interest in genuine negotiations, he said, citing a recent Kremlin statement after Putin held talks with Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Putin said Russia was ready for dialogue if Ukraine accepted what he called “new territorial realities,” a clear reference to territory seized by Russian forces.
"In other words, unless and until Ukraine acknowledges and accepts the fact that territory that Russia has seized by force, it’s not getting back, there’s nothing to negotiate. That of course is in and of itself a nonstarter," Blinken said.
He also added that more announcements of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine is expected “in the days to come.”
As for Iran, the top U.S. diplomat made it clear that the world has been 'appalled' by Iranian regime's actions — mass arrests, sham trials, the executions, the use of sexual violence as a tool for protest suppression.
"... Not just us – countries around the world are watching this, seeing this, and share the revulsion that we have. And these abuses will not go without consequence," Blniken said.
"Together with many other countries, we’ve been moving forward with a variety of unilateral actions, multilateral measures, using UN mechanisms to try to hold Iran to account. And that’s played out in a number of different places in a number of different ways, and it will continue as long as necessary," he concluded.
Alex Raufoglu
Washington D.C.
https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2023/1/free/politics_news/en/505.htm
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