TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has rejected British accusations that Iran was involved in a spate of attacks targeting Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, calling the claims baseless and politically motivated. 

"These claims are raised with specific political motives and indicate the efforts of the British authorities to distort the realities of the region and their susceptibility to the preferences of third parties, including the child-killing Zionist regime,” Nasser Kanaani said on Tuesday

He added that such provocative statements by London pose a threat to regional and international stability. 

"As we have stated clearly before, the resistance groups in the region do not take orders from the Islamic Republic of Iran to confront and respond to the war crimes and genocide of the Zionist regime. These groups make their own decisions based on their principles, priorities, and interests of their country and people."

Kanaani also advised the British authorities to focus their energy on bringing an end to the Israeli war crimes in Gaza, instead of coming up with “baseless” accusations. 

London has shown steadfast support for Israel since the beginning of the regime’s deadly bombing campaign on the besieged Gaza Strip. The regime’s indiscriminate attacks have so far killed more than 16,000 civilians, with 70% of the casualties comprised of women and Children. 

Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, which counts itself as part of the Axis of Resistance in West Asia, has responded to Israeli crimes against Gazans by targeting positions inside the occupied territories as well as Israeli ships in the Red Sea. Sana’a has declared it will continue its military operations against the regime until it stops killing women and children trapped in Gaza. 

The Yemeni armed forces seized on November 19 an Israeli cargo vessel, named Galaxy Leader. It has also launched ballistic missiles at two Israeli ships sailing in the Red Sea. The UK says one of its vessels has also come under attack by Yemeni forces.