British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has faced criticism after being photographed shaking hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Miliband met Araghchi on Thursday to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and threats linked to Iran on British soil, according to GB News.
The meeting drew criticism from Shadow Foreign Secretary Tom Tugendhat, who accused the government of giving legitimacy to the Iranian regime.
“The Iranian regime has done nothing to justify any senior British minister meeting their envoys,” Tugendhat said.
He accused Tehran of repressing protesters, threatening Britain’s allies and supporting armed groups, including the Houthis, while also alleging that Iran-linked groups posed a threat to communities in the UK.
Tugendhat said the handshake gave the Iranian government “a credibility they have failed to achieve through violence” and argued that British foreign policy should focus on protecting the country’s interests rather than legitimising Tehran.
Shadow Foreign Office minister Alicia Kearns also criticised the meeting in a post on X, saying Miliband owed Parliament and others an explanation for the encounter.
She described the meeting as a “propaganda win for Tehran” and questioned the decision to engage with the Iranian foreign minister.
The Foreign Office defended the talks, saying Miliband used the meeting to warn Araghchi that Britain would not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on British soil by groups linked to Iran.
According to the Foreign Office, the discussions also covered the conflict in the Middle East and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key international shipping route.
The meeting took place as world leaders and senior officials gathered in New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
