UK foreign secretary David Cameron has branded Iran "a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world" in an interview published Sunday in which he also pledged stepped-up deterrence towards Tehran.
The former British prime minister's warning echoes accusations by the United States Friday that Iran is involved in attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Huthi rebels, providing drones, missiles and tactical intelligence.
In the latest instance of a vessel being targeted in or near Middle Eastern waters, Washington said Saturday that a tanker struck earlier off the coast of India was targeted "by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran".
Cameron, who this week visited the region and discussed with his Egyptian counterpart Israel's war in Gaza as well as the volatile situation in the Red Sea, accused Tehran of aiding various "proxies" there.
"Iran is a thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world - there's no doubt about that," he told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
"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. And, of course, Hamas.
"So you've got all of these proxies, and I think it's incredibly important that, first of all, Iran receives an incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated."
Britain's top diplomat, who returned to frontline politics last month after stepping down as prime minister in the aftermath of losing the 2016 Brexit referendum, said London would increase cooperation with its allies over Tehran.
"We need to work with our allies to develop a really strong set of deterrent measures against Iran, and it's important that we do that," he added.
"The level of danger and insecurity in the world is at an extremely high level compared with previous years and decades, and the Iran threat is a part of that picture."
Britain will contribute warships to the new maritime security initiative in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, known as Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Earlier this month the UK also unveiled new sanctions targeting Iran's "decision makers and those doing its bidding", including the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
Asked if London was poised to impose other measures, Cameron said that was "not for public consumption".
But he added it wanted to send "a very clear warning to the Houthis and to their Iranian backers that we're not going to tolerate these continued attacks on shipping". (AFP)
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)