British Foreign Secretary's Remarks Not Official Government Position

The UK Prime Minister's office has stated that the comments made by the Foreign Secretary regarding Saudi Arabia do not represent the official stance of the government and will not affect UK policy towards Saudi Arabia and its role in the region. Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, stated that Iran and Saudi Arabia are fueling a proxy war between Shia and Sunni in the Middle East. The Guardian newspaper published Mr. Johnson's comments on Thursday, which were related to his recent trip to Rome and his speech at the 'Med2' conference in the Italian capital. Mr. Johnson said, 'Iran and Saudi each bring their puppets into the game and start a proxy war, and watching such a scene is painful.' His remarks coincided with the Prime Minister's participation in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit and Theresa May's support for these countries. Reuters reported that a spokesperson for the Prime Minister's office announced that Mr. Johnson's comments do not reflect the government's official view on Saudi Arabia but are merely his personal opinion. Nonetheless, the spokesperson stated that Ms. May supports her Foreign Secretary. Saudi Arabia is a long-time ally of the UK and one of its largest customers for military industries. The French news agency reported that such public criticisms of Saudi Arabia have been labeled a 'big mistake' by some analysts. However, an unnamed spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office told Reuters that the UK has been an ally of Saudi Arabia and any speculation to the contrary is incorrect. This official stated that the government's position is the same as what Boris Johnson clearly articulated in an interview with BBC One on Sunday. He stated that London is an ally of Riyadh and supports Saudi efforts to secure its borders and protect its people. Boris Johnson, a supporter and theorist of the UK's exit from the European Union, was appointed as Foreign Secretary six months ago. Shahran Tabari, a political analyst and member of the UK Labour Party, told Radio Farda that Boris Johnson is known for making thoughtless and careless remarks. Ms. Tabari said, 'British journalists say Mr. Johnson has made a political gaffe. He is someone who speaks suddenly without thinking and weighing the consequences.' She added, 'Mr. Johnson's comments are not new, but the contradiction of the Foreign Secretary of Theresa May's government condemning Saudi Arabia while Ms. May speaks of friendship with Arabs in Bahrain is surprising. British journalists say Mr. Johnson has made a political gaffe. He is someone who speaks suddenly without thinking and weighing the consequences. That is why everyone was surprised when he became Foreign Secretary, as this is a very sensitive position that requires careful and diplomatic speech, which Mr. Johnson is not compatible with at all.' On Wednesday, at the end of a two-day summit of Gulf Cooperation Council leaders held in Bahrain, Theresa May, the UK Prime Minister, and the six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council agreed to confront Iran, which they claim is engaging in destabilizing activities in the region. The Prime Minister stated that all these countries must cooperate to push back what she described as Iran's aggressive actions in the region. Ms. May said, 'I want to assure you that I am fully aware of the threat posed by Iran in the Gulf and the Middle East. The UK is committed to its strategic partners in the Gulf and works with these countries to counter this threat. We have reached an agreement that prevents Iran from approaching the development of nuclear weapons for over a decade. So far, Iran has dismantled 13,000 of its centrifuges and eliminated its excess 20% enriched uranium. This issue is of vital importance for regional security, but we must work together to push back Iran's aggressive actions in the region, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, or even in the Gulf itself.' Sanam Vakil, a researcher at Chatham House in London, commented on the Prime Minister's statements regarding Iran, saying, 'The Gulf Cooperation Council countries, especially under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, have long been trying to exert more pressure on Iran due to its various actions in the region in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, and Lebanon. Such a message from the UK Prime Minister is exactly what these countries need to have confidence in the UK as a strategic ally, especially in a situation where the region is facing uncertainties following the US elections. However, Ms. May continues to support the nuclear agreement with Iran, and I think this is just as important to emphasize.' Shahran Tabari, a member of the UK Labour Party, noted another aspect, stating, 'Ms. May's stance regarding Mr. Johnson is quite simple. Mr. Johnson made a gaffe, and Ms. May is trying to rectify his comments. This summer, a referendum was held in the UK, and about 52% of the people voted for leaving the European Union, which is called Brexit. This means that the UK will no longer cooperate commercially with the laws of the European Union and the countries of this union. Therefore, Ms. May has already started traveling to various countries that would be commercially beneficial for her country. She wants to negotiate with them and secure trade agreements for the two years after the UK exits the European Union. Ms. May also stated that her presence is aimed at paving the way for significant trade treaties.' This was the first time a UK Prime Minister attended a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting. In response to these comments, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that the UK is not in a position to accuse others of interfering in Middle Eastern affairs. Mr. Qasemi, calling the accusation of Iran's interference in the internal affairs of regional countries baseless, stated that the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on the principles of good neighborliness, mutual respect, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and he expects the Gulf Cooperation Council to refrain from making what he called repetitive and baseless accusations and to stop interfering in Iran's internal affairs, including the attempts of some members to incite sectarian and religious strife. According to the IRIB news agency, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, also stated on December 9 in a meeting with members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party that Saudi Arabia's support for terrorism will come back to haunt it. Saudi officials have repeatedly accused Iran of supporting terrorism and creating instability in the region. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were severed following the occupation of Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad by a group of Basijis. A group of protesting Basijis attacked the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad in March in protest against the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia. After that, direct flights between Tehran and Riyadh were also suspended, and Saudi Arabia unilaterally severed its diplomatic relations with Iran. Following this issue, Iranian pilgrims were unable to go to Hajj this year.