June 21 – The British government raised concerns about the ongoing war between Iran and Israel which began on June 13, saying it preferred a diplomatic solution to the conflict and that the conflict would have “grave and unpredictable consequences.”
The statement also expressed support for Israel’s security but warned against ongoing military action saying that it would not put and end to Iran’s nuclear capabilities and urged Iran and Israel to show restraint.
The attacks follow claims by Israel that Iran was weeks away from producing atomic bombs, a claim which Iran has denied.
Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route, in response to Israel launching its military operation, which has targeted Iran’s military and nuclear facilities and killed several senior regime officials.
Experts monitoring the situation say the the closure of the shipping route is unlikely, and that the claim is no more than rhetoric.
The Islamic Republic has also threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, an international agreement designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
And human rights bodies have accused Iran’s regime of arbitrarily detaining individuals in recent days, who they say have been falsely accused of spying for Israel.
The Association of Iranian Human Rights and Allies said the government had carried out arbitrary arrests and summary executions of innocent civilians and political activists under false charges of espionage for Israel.
