MILIBAND FACES CRITICISM AFTER MEETING IRANIAN COUNTERPART

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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 as the two officials discussed the conflict in the Middle East, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and security concerns involving Iran-linked groups in Britain.

The meeting drew criticism from senior opposition politicians in the UK. Shadow Foreign Office Secretary Tom Tugendhat accused the government of giving legitimacy to Iran through the encounter, while Shadow Foreign Office minister Alicia Kearns also criticised the handshake.

The British Foreign Office, however, said Miliband used the meeting to make clear that the UK would not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on British soil by groups linked to Iran.

The officials also discussed the ongoing Middle East conflict and the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a major international shipping route.

Iranian officials have continued to call for changes to what they describe as European interference in regional affairs. Araghchi also raised concerns about what Tehran considers inappropriate approaches by some European governments.

The meeting took place as world leaders and senior officials gathered in New York for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, amid continued diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict and tensions involving Iran.