Key facts
- UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
- Miliband warned Iran against 'hostile activity' on British soil.
- The UK believes Iran or its proxies were involved in attacks against Jewish communities.
- The ministers discussed the ongoing war between Iran and the US.
- A British couple detained in Iran was sentenced to 10 years in jail on espionage charges.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, impacting global oil and gas shipments.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband directly told Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the UK will "not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil." The two ministers met face-to-face at the UN General Assembly in New York City.
The Foreign Office stated that Miliband addressed "the UK's unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups in UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community." They also discussed the ongoing war in the Middle East and the case of a British couple detained in Iran.
British intelligence chiefs reportedly concluded that Iran or its proxies were involved in the Hatzola ambulance attack and other attacks against Jewish communities during 2026, based on secret intelligence. Miliband also urged Iran to choose "de-escalation and diplomacy instead of prolonging the war" with the US and stressed the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict between Iran and the US escalated in February when both sides launched attacks, leading Iran to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that any deal must include an end to the US blockade of Iranian ships.
The detained British couple, from East Sussex, have been held for over 20 months and were sentenced to 10 years in jail on espionage charges, which they deny. Miliband reiterated the UK's call for their immediate release.