Corbyn questioned UK’s government accusation of Iranian involvement in Gulf of Oman attacks – Hunt describes Corbyn’s position as pathetic
The leader of Britain’s main opposition party has questioned whether the government had evidence to back up its accusations that Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week, and warned against escalating tensions.
Britain on Friday joined the United States in blaming Iran for attacks on two tankers, raising fears of a broader military confrontation in a vital passageway for the world’s oil industry.
“Without credible evidence about the tanker attacks, the government’s rhetoric will only increase the threat of war,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote on Twitter late on Friday.
Jeremy Hunt said the attacks built on “a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region” and described Corbyn’s comments as “pathetic and predictable”.
He tweeted: “From Salisbury to the Middle East, why can he never bring himself to back British allies, British intelligence or British interests?”
The FCO had said: “No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible,” and pointed to a “recent precedent for attacks by Iran against oil tankers”.