UK behind Anti-Iran Moves at Manama Conference: Velayati

Velayati made the remarks in an interview with Tasnim in response to questions about controversies and anti-Iran statements at the Manama conference, which was held on October 31–November 2 in Bahrain.

He emphasized that Iran has never treated its neighbors with hostility throughout its long history, adding that “Iran has always maintained friendly relations with the Arab sheikhdoms of the Persian Gulf, and the smaller states have always received Iran’s support.”

Velayati stated that whenever the neighboring and Persian Gulf countries have faced difficulties, Iran has stepped in to help.

He noted that Iranians, with their several-thousand-year history and civilization influential in human development, have a long-standing record of good neighborliness, and many historical examples exist to demonstrate this.

Regarding the Manama conference itself, he said the meetings were first held in 2004 in Manama and organized by the UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. He added that the forum generally addresses West Asian issues and that this year it was attended by officials from countries including Jordan, the UK, Bahrain, Oman, Greece, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Romania, a European Union representative, several US officials, and a NATO representative.

He said that the focus of the speakers this year was on Sudan, Iran, and the axis of resistance. While some states criticized Iran’s regional policies, others, such as Oman, defended Iran.

Velayati stressed that the UK was behind the events at the Manama conference.

He described Britain as a country in the last breaths of its former power, once claiming that “the sun never set on its dominions,” but now living in humiliation, lamenting the loss of its previous influence.

Referring to Britain’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war, Velayati described London as an instigator whose main goal was to prevent Russia from gaining strength as a principal European rival. According to Velayati, Britain supplied Ukraine with initial military equipment, acted as a motivator for NATO intervention, and was the main driver behind Ukraine’s push for NATO membership, with some European countries following Britain’s lead.

Velayati said that Britain effectively led Ukraine into a deep pit and did nothing to help it. He added that during the Biden administration, Britain tried to force the US to join the conflict and compelled European countries to follow suit. As an example, he cited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, which Germany initially refused, but Britain, with US support, pressured Berlin to comply.

He also commented on Trump’s second term, noting that the US acted more independently of Britain on Western matters. He said that America had humiliated Britain, citing the Sharm el-Sheikh summit as an unprecedented example.

Under Trump, NATO’s capabilities were weakened because he refused to support it without European financial contributions, and European countries were required to bear the costs themselves, Velayati explained.

Britain, which had previously encouraged Europe to pursue its goals at the expense of the US, lost political and financial backing for its schemes after Trump’s arrival, including in cases like the Gaza ceasefire, which Trump implemented against Britain’s advice, he noted.

Velayati said that Britain is now attempting to restore its political prestige through any means, including actions at the Bahrain conference.

He criticized some Western and Arab officials for ignoring continuing Israeli crimes, breaches of ceasefires, and the unprecedented genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza while instead criticizing Iran, which he described as the main supporter of Palestine and resistance movements and the region’s largest advocate for peace.

He further said that some governments that spoke against Iran at Manama support division, killing, and criminal terrorist operations in Sudan and Yemen, causing the displacement and starvation of thousands, creating situations worse than Gaza. He also noted that some of these governments admitted at the conference that their actions had been mistaken.

Velayati emphasized that a number of countries and individuals armed with British weapons who support massacres in Sudan and elsewhere have no authority to comment on Iran’s peaceful presence in the region.

He underlined that statements made by Britain and its allies against Iran are baseless and futile, because Iran is a powerful country with thousands of years of history and recently demonstrated strength that simultaneously forced the Zionist regime, the US, and NATO to accept defeat and surrender.

He concluded by saying that Iran’s pride today lies in being the axis of support for the oppressed.

As long as “this nest of corruption --the child-killing Zionist regime-- continues its aggression against Muslims in Gaza and the resistance in Lebanon and Yemen, Iran will provide them with resolute support, he stated, warning that those who ignore these unprecedented crimes and cooperate with the occupying Israeli regime, Britain, and the US “will be recorded in history as enemies of Islam and partners in the killing of Muslims.”/tasnim