London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Iran spreading 'bloodshed and destruction', says foreign secretary

Iran spreading 'bloodshed and destruction', says foreign secretary

The foreign secretary has accused Iran of spreading "bloodshed and destruction" around the world - amid reports of Iranian-made drones being used in Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain, James Cleverly also warned that Tehran's nuclear programme was "more advanced than ever before".

His speech came ahead of England's opening World Cup game against Iran.

Mr Cleverly is due to attend the match in Qatar on Monday.

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue international security conference on Saturday, Mr Cleverly said Iran and Russia were threats to the security of the Middle East.

He said: "Today the Iranian nuclear programme is more advanced than ever before and the regime has resorted to selling Russia the armed drones that are currently killing civilians in Ukraine.

"As their people demonstrate against decades of oppression, Iran's rulers are spreading bloodshed and destruction across the region and as far away as Kyiv.

"Britain is determined to work alongside our friends to counter the Iranian threat, [prohibit] the smuggling of conventional arms, and prevent the regime from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability."

Mr Cleverly's comments on Iran come at a time of heightened tensions.

Earlier this month, Iran admitted for the first time that it had supplied drones to Moscow, but claimed it was only before the invasion and there was no evidence they had been used in conflict.

But the West believes Russia has used the drones in Ukraine to hit key infrastructure sites, leaving millions of people in the country without electricity.

There are also fears Iran that is going back on its 2015 promise to limit nuclear activities in exchange for lifting of sanctions.

The foreign secretary also said that the Royal Navy had seized missiles being smuggled out of Iran twice this year, and he highlighted the effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on global food security.

"Day after day, Putin's war is inflicting yet more suffering on Syrians and Yemenis, who were already enduring the privations of humanitarian emergency, and he's having an impact on ordinary Lebanese, caught up in economic crisis," he said.


Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has reaffirmed the UK's commitment to stopping Iran from producing nuclear weapons

Earlier this week, the UK government imposed more sanctions on Iranian officials linked to the ongoing brutal crackdown against anti-government protests.

The demonstrations against Iran's clerical establishment erupted two months ago after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police for allegedly breaking strict hijab rules.

At least 362 protesters, including 56 children, have been killed and 16,000 arrested, according to the Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

On Wednesday, Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, said that Iranian intelligence agents had been targeting people in the UK. This included at least 10 threats since January alone to kidnap or even kill British or UK-based people perceived as enemies of the regime, he said.

England are set to play Iran in their opening World Cup match


Mr Cleverly will travel to nearby Qatar to watch England take on Iran in their opening World Cup match on Monday.

It comes after the foreign secretary was called "shockingly tone-deaf" after saying LGBT footballs fans who attended the tournament in Qatar should show a "little bit of flex and compromise" and be "respectful of the host nation", where same-sex activity is illegal.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×