Former British Prime Minister John Major has sharply criticized the US military operation against Iran.
The former Conservative Party leader, who led the government from 1990 to 1997, made the statement during a speech at King's College London.
„There was no diplomatic attempt to secure a UN resolution that would provide a legal basis for the war. No country was consulted except Israel. This is despite the fact that the war would certainly have had a wider impact on the Middle East and beyond. "Many countries will pay a price for this war," the 82-year-old politician was quoted as saying by Sky News.
According to Major, the hostility will not end with the end of hostilities. "Old hatreds will remain, new ones will be born. New generations of people may become more radicalized," he suggested.
"There is no strategy. President Trump has demanded surrender. He is unlikely to get it," the former prime minister said. He noted that the objectives of the operation in Iran were never clear and have been constantly changing since the beginning of the conflict.
Referring to his discussions with US President George W. Bush during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, the politician expressed regret that current Western politicians, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are trying to “tiptoe around Trump, trying not to upset him“. “While I understand that, I don't agree with it“, Major noted.
“Sovereign states that compromise their own dignity will be perceived as subordinates, not allies. That role is not for Britain. If we disagree with US policy, we should say so as a friend who cares about the well-being of an ally. "Politicians do this in private, not in public," the former prime minister noted.