UK is concerned at Iran’s role in a confrontation at the border with Syria

LONDON, REUTERS, 12 February 2018 – British foreign minister Boris Johnson said London was concerned at Iran’s role in a confrontation at Israel’s border with Syria. “We are concerned at the Iranian actions, which detract from efforts to get a genuine peace process under way,” Johnson said in a statement on Monday. “We encourage Russia to use its influence to press the regime and its backers to avoid provocative actions and to support de-escalation in pursuit of a broader political settlement,” he said. Foreign Secretary Johnson was referring to the events two days ago that led to the downing of an Iranian drone after it entered Israeli air space from Syria, and the shooting down of an Israeli F-16 by a surface to air missile early Saturday. The retaliation raids that followed struck 12 targets in Syria among them regime air defense installations, and 3 positions for Iranian revolutionary deep inside Syria.