UK MP calls for banning Iran s IRGC after flag flown at London demo
Iran’s IRGC flag at a Palestine solidarity march in London on 22 March 2021 [JakeWSimons/Twitter] May 27, 2021 at 4:14 pm
A British MP who also serves as the Conservative Party s chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee has called on the government to follow the US in designating Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
MP for Tonbridge and Malling, Tom Tugendhat, reportedly made the comments, after footage surfaced on social media of an IRGC banner at a Palestine solidarity march that took place in London last weekend, along with a flag of Palestine and Iraq s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), which includes some armed factions supported by the IRGC.
The minister, who is part of the internationally recognised Yemeni government, said Iran has been intensively involved in backing the Houthi rebels in the recent escalation in Marib.
“His killing reflects the level of the Iranian involvement in military escalation waged by the Houthi militia on various Marib fronts, Mr Al Eryani said said.
The latest round of talks on a ceasefire in Marib and other hotspots in Yemen have stalled, killing hopes of a breakthrough, after US President Joe Biden s administration made ending the war a priority.
The assault has displaced almost 20,000 people and “threatens the safety of millions”, the UN said.
Sunday, 23 May, 2021 - 08:15
Awwam Temple, also known as the Mahram Bilqis, in Marib, Yemen. (AP) Sanaa – Asharq Al-Awsat
Yemeni Workers in the antiquities sector accused the Houthi militia of systematic destruction of national artifacts, through smuggling, trading, bombing, and using the museums as military barracks.
Last year, Yemeni officials accused the group of smuggling and looting over 14,000 rare Yemeni manuscripts and hundreds of artifacts.
A number of antiquities workers told Asharq Al-Awsat that prominent Houthi leaders had smuggled since the beginning of this year, more than 4,800 antiquities and manuscripts, dating back to hundreds of years.
The artifacts were sent to Iran, Lebanon, and other countries after they were stolen from museums and archaeological sites in areas under the group s control.
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