TEHRAN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Tuesday rejected Britain's accusations that Tehran is involved in Yemen-based Houthis' recent attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
Kanaani made the remarks in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry's website, in response to a statement by the British government released on Monday, in which it "condemned the attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthis" and said "Iran has long provided military and political support to Houthis and bears responsibility for the actions of its proxies and partners."
"Such claims are made with certain political objectives and are indicative of the British officials' bids to distort the region's realities and susceptibility to being impacted by the preferences of third parties, including Israel," wrote Kanaani.
He condemned certain British officials' "unconstructive remarks and moves, which, per se, are threats to regional and international peace and stability," stressing that resistance groups in the region did not take orders from Iran to counter and respond to Israel's "war crimes" and killing of people in Gaza.
Kanaani urged British officials to "condemn Israel's crimes and focus their efforts on stopping such war crimes against Palestinian civilians, including women and children, and facilitating aid delivery to them," instead of hurling "unfounded" accusations against others.
Three commercial vessels were attacked in the southern Red Sea on Sunday. The Houthi group claimed drone and missile attacks on two Israeli-linked vessels, Unity Explorer and Number 9, in the area, saying the attacks were "in response to the Yemeni people's demand and Muslim states' calls to stand with the Palestinian people." ■
