Cameron: malign Iran is threat to the world

Foreign Secretary vows to take a tough line over Tehran’s meddling on British soil

BRITAIN will not tolerate the escalation of Iran’s “malign” activities in the Middle East or on UK soil, Lord Cameron has warned.

In his first newspaper interview since returning to government, the Foreign Secretary calls Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah “proxies” for Iran who are contributing to an extremely high level of “danger and insecurity” around the world.

In a significant toughening of the UK’s approach, the former prime minister tells The Sunday Telegraph that Iran must be sent “an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated”. He pledges that Britain will work with allies to “develop a really strong set of deterrent measures” against Tehran.

On Friday night, the US cited intelligence showing that Iran was “deeply involved” in planning Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The attacks are already causing major disruption to supply chains across Europe.

Lord Cameron identifies “more evidence” of the “unacceptable threat the Iranian regime poses to the lives of UKbased journalists” after it emerged that Iranian spies had offered a people smuggler £150,000 to assassinate two news presenters at a London-based Persian-language news channel.

The Telegraph can reveal that the Foreign Secretary summoned Iran’s most senior diplomat in the UK to the Foreign Office on Friday over the revelation “to make clear that these threats will not be tolerated”. Since the start of last year, there have been more than 15 credible threats or plots by the Iranian regime to kill British or UK-based individuals, according to government officials.

Lord Cameron’s warning to Tehran signals growing concern in the Government about the aggression being shown by Iran in the Middle East and around the world, including in Britain. He was speaking following a trip to France, Italy, Jordan and Egypt last week.

Setting out the approach he intends to take in Government, Lord Cameron also: ‹Says “things have changed” since he declared a “golden era” of relations with Beijing. He adds: “We face a more aggressive, assertive China.” ‹Pledges to “play no role” in a government review of the sale of The Telegraph after questions were raised over his past links to the United Arab Emirates.

‹ Acknowledges that past economic support sent to Gaza had been used by Hamas to construct tunnels or for “worse things”, but insists the current supplies awaiting delivery are “food, water, medicine, shelter”.

‹ Warns that the prospect of any role for Hamas in a two-state solution must be “beyond the pale”.

‹ Says he expects the UK to spend at least another £2billion next year on military support for Ukraine, adding: “I think we could potentially do better.”

Lord Cameron cites “the threat of Iran” as one of five significant “crises” creating an “extraordinarily difficult time for the world”, alongside the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict in the Mid- dle East, terrorism and climate change.

He says: “Iran is a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world – there’s no doubt about that. You’ve got the Houthis, you’ve got Hezbollah, you’ve got the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that have actually been attacking British and American bases, troops.”

This month, the former prime minister announced a sanctions regime for Iran, which included targeting Tehran’s support for Hamas. But Lord Cameron’s warning suggests Britain is prepared to take further action, including new sanctions, if the escalation of attacks by Iran and its proxies continues.

LORD CAMERON has said “things have changed” since he heralded a “golden era” of relations between Britain and China during his time in Downing Street.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the former prime minister identified China’s increasing “aggression” as one of the key security challenges facing the UK.

Lord Cameron has broken from the Government’s past reluctance to publicly condemn the detention of Jimmy Lai.

Mr Lai, a pro-democracy newspaper publisher in Hong Kong, is facing a possible life sentence if convicted under a national security law imposed by China.

Speaking earlier this month, Lord Cameron said: “I am gravely concerned that anyone is facing prosecution under the national security law, and particularly concerned at the politically-motivated prosecution of British national Jimmy Lai.”

Mr Lai, a 76-year-old British citizen, is charged in Hong Kong with colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, as well as conspiring with others to publish seditious publications.

His son Sebastien, who met Lord Cameron shortly after he became Foreign Secretary, said he had “left the meeting feeling hopeful that the UK will shortly add its voice to calls for my dad’s immediate and unconditional release”.

In 2015, during his time as prime minister, Lord Cameron hosted a visit to the UK by Xi Jinping and declared: “This visit marks the start of a new era. Some have called it a golden era in relations between Britain and China.”

Asked last week whether he believed that era had now ended, he said: “I think things have changed. quite clearly we face a more aggressive, assertive China.”