MADRID, April 14 (EUROPEAN PRESS) –

The British Foreign Office has summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in London, Mehdi Hoseini Matin, this Sunday to protest Iran’s “extremely dangerous and unnecessary” escalation following its attack on Israel.

“The UK strongly condemns Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack on Israel, as well as its violation of Jordanian and Iraqi airspace,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

London also called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of the ship ‘MSC Aries’ and its crew, who were captured while sailing through the waters of the Strait of Hormuz between the coasts of Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

He also urged Iranian authorities to “take significant and immediate action to reduce tensions and end their reckless and illegal behavior.” “The UK will continue to defend Israel’s security and the security of all our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq,” he added.

This comes after British Foreign Secretary David Cameron reiterated his condemnation “in the strongest terms” of the Iran attack during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Hosein Amirabdolahian.

“I emphasize that Iran must stop these reckless attacks, lower tensions and release the ‘MSC Aries,’” he said earlier on the social network X, alluding to the ship’s seizure.

Cameron a day earlier had indicated in another message on social networks that Tehran’s “reckless” attacks on Israeli territory “will only further inflame tensions in the Middle East.” “The UK calls on the Iranian regime to stop this serious escalation, which benefits no one,” he added.

Israel has confirmed that Iran’s direct strikes – announced by Tehran as Operation ‘True Promise’ – included the launch of 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles, “99 percent” of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems.

Tehran defended itself that these attacks were part of its legitimate response and its right to “self-defense” following the bombing of its Consulate in Damascus, blamed on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of seven members of the pro-Iranian Revolutionary Guards militia, a member of Hezbollah, a Iranian advisor and two civilians.