UK Prime Minister: Britain will 'push back' against Iran

Theresa May, the first ever woman at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, confirmed the UK's stance towards limiting a perceived aggression from Iran.
2 min read
07 December, 2016
British Prime Minister Theresa May is in Manama for three days of trade discussions [Getty]

Britain's Prime Minister has confirmed that Britain will work with the Gulf to "push back" against Iran's perceived aggression.

Theresa May made a speech at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Manama on Wednesday, confirming Britain's commitment against the "threat" from Iran.

"We must... continue to confront state actors whose influence fuels instability in the region," May told Gulf leaders at the summit in the Bahrain capital.

"So I want to assure you that I am clear-eyed about the threat that Iran poses to the Gulf and to the wider Middle East."

"We must... work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions."

May is currently on a three-day trip to Bahrain to shore up free-trade agreements for Britain after it leaves the European Union.

Read more here: British PM eyes post-Brexit trade deals at Gulf summit

"I want these talks to pave the way for an ambitious trade arrangement," she said.

Theresa May is the first woman to have ever attended the annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which hosts the heads of states from six Gulf countries.

The British trade delegation is currently in talks with representatives from each of these countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Before leaving for the summit, May said: "As the UK leaves the EU, we should seize the opportunity to forge a new trade arrangement between the UK and the Gulf."

Controversy surrounds some of these trade deals however, as many parliamentarians argue that UK weapons have been involved in military attacks on civilians in Yemen and Syria.