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A suggestion by the Iranian Ambassador to Britain that his country should foster closer links with Scotland than with England was treated with a mixture of bemusement and horror by Scottish politicians yesterday.
Praising what he saw as Scotland’s antiwar stance and its opposition to the spread of nuclear weapons, Rasoul Movahedian, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said that there was “fertile ground” for a stronger relationship between the Scottish National Party administration, led by Alex Salmond, and the antiWestern Government of President Ahmadinejad.
Talking to The Scotsman on Thursday, the ambassador said that Scotland and Iran shared “similar views” on a range of international issues. “The views and the position of this present government of Scotland pleased many people in Iran and enabled us to make a distinction between Scotland and England,” he said.
“We are very much pleased by the views of the present government [which] is against the war, against chemical weapons, against proliferation, and advocates a world based on peace and friendship, which strives for wellbeing and economic progress. This provides fertile grounds for further works.”
Headlining its story “ ‘Axis of evil’ offers hand of friendship to Scotland”, the paper quoted Whitehall sources as saying that this was part of an attempt by Iran to exploit tensions between Britain and Scotland on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war. “If the mullahs in Tehran think Alex Salmond is a good ally against London, it throws up questions about the First Minister’s judgment about his policies,” an unnamed source said.
Yesterday politicians across the divide described the ambassador’s intervention as not so much strategic as bizarre. Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, the Labour MSP, said that Mr Movahedian had been making mischief. “It is to the benefit of the Iranians to cause trouble and it would be a frightening thought for Scotland if it ever could be compared or confused with Iran,” he said.
Bill Aitken, the Scottish Conservative justice spokesman at Holyrood, said that the ambassador’s views were unhelpful. “It is certainly true that many Scots, including myself, have had serious reservations about some aspects of the UK Government’s Iraq policy, but to suggest that we have more in common with Tehran than London is simply nonsense,” he said.
“There are sufficient people north of the Border attempting to drive a wedge between the different parts of the UK, without the ambassador contributing in this manner.”
Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Perhaps it takes one ayatollah to recognise another in Alex Salmond.”
He added: “Any similarity between that and the democratic tradition of Scotland is hard to swallow. This is an attempt to cause mischief.”
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Foreign Secretary, said: “I don’t think the Iranian Ambassador would welcome the British Ambassador speaking to the Azerbaijani minority who live in Iran.”
Mr Salmond himself appeared less critical. A spokesman for the Scottish National Party Executive said: “The ambassador is doing no more than recognising that the party now forming the Scottish government was opposed to the war in Iraq – as indeed are a majority of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.”
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Just like in America.......
As long as the USA is strong and fights back... Canada can just sit back and Gripe and take pot-shots while it's borders are well defended by American lives.
Ed, Atlanta, USA
Divide and conquer.
Bill Q, Derby,
He is right in that all anti-Gulf war protests indirectly support oppressive governments. Where he goes wrong is that the Scots would never directly develop close links with a country such as Iran.
Anthony Pierce, Leeds,
Halal Haggis... now there's a thought.
Malcolm Watson, Manchester, UK
Chris McG, pretty sure majority of Scots would not want to be associated with you, public opinion is very clear on nuclear power and weapons, most people in Scotland want them out , only a xenophobic minority like yourself still want them. The SNP are the Government in Scotland , despite you Labour losers not liking it.
Mr Angry, ayrshire,
Now here is a great Scottish tradition!
Through out history when Scottish kings and politicians are not selling the noble Scottish people down the river for land (in england) and gold from the English, French, Spanish and Danish. they make alliance with England's enemies.
This is why England created the union in the first place
Glad to see with looming independence that Scotland's current crop of lick spittle low browed politicians are keep this tradition alive.
Jake, Nottingham, UK
Hey, the man's with-it: he certainly knows where the real power lies in Britain today!
Brian Clacey, Croydon, UK
It will never work,the Iranians take much too much water with their whiskey and have you seen how much sugar they put on their porridge.
The morality police would insist on longer kilts ....oh this will never work Alex.
robert everitt, wolverhampton,
I laughed when I read this. Doesn't he know that England is also governed by the Scots? Perhaps he only recognises a Scot when it wears tartan?
Helen Wright, Yorkshire, England
How fickle and selective the political memory. In the 1940's the Allies (Britain) invades Persia (Iran) because the then leader supported the Axis. Britain was very interested in control of Persian (Iranian) oil Fields in 1953 when at Anglo Persian Oil Company (BP) behest, with the help of the CIA organised a coup de'atat against Prime Minister Mosaddeq government. Twenty years later the British government sold and delivered 1000 tanks and other weapons to the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi through the Crown Agents. to "save" British jobs.
In the 1980's Britain supported Saddam Hussain against Iran then under Ayatollah Khomeni. The same tanks were used against Saddams forces in the Iran/Iraq War.. Britains duplicity is nothing if not consistent.
Question if your country had been seriously disturbed four times in seventy years by the same people with that track record would you trust them?
Alexander, Victoria.,
Ha ha. An excellent idea from the Iranian ambassador. As a proud BRITISH person i have been horrified by Alex Salmond's ideas for Scottish independence. I thank the Iranian ambassador for drawing association, however vague, between an independent Alex Salmond led Scotland and Tehran. What better incentive could there be for the UK to be united? As for Scotland's 'antiwar' stance, perhaps the ambassador should note the Scottish regiments, men and women, currently serving abroad in the British army.
Joe, Bristol, UK
It really creeps me out! The SNP are a minority and need other parties such as the Greens to get policies through. Labour dropped the ball in our elections, the Lib Dems have no backbone to take it, and the Tories don't care about Scotland. Nuclear power and weapons employ a lot people on the Clyde. Regardless of your environmental views no one wants to see jobs go. Pretty sure the majority of Scots do not want to be associated with the undemocratic regime of Iran.
Chris McG, Glasgow,
If I were Scottish, this would creep me out.
William McIlhagga, Ilkley,