David Miliband blasts PM hopeful Jeremy Hunt’s ‘absence’ on Iran crisis after deputy was sent to Tehran

FORMER Foreign Secretary David Miliband has accused Jeremy Hunt of being “completely absent” from the Iran crisis.

The former Labour minister laid into his Foreign Office successor for despatching a deputy, Andrew Murrison, to Teheran for talks with the regime instead.

PA:Press Association

Jeremy Hunt has been attacked by David Miliband for sending his deputy to talk to Iran instead of doing it himself[/caption]

Rex Features

David Miliband, Labour Foreign Sec between 2007 and 2010, blasted his successor for not treating the Iran crisis seriously enough[/caption]

Mr Miliband insisted: “The current Foreign Secretary has real responsibilities at the moment.

“I don’t think we can afford him to be completely absent from the stage”.

Hitting back, Mr Hunt tweeted: “Agree, and thankfully I’m not. Speaking regularly to my counterparts on this subject, including Sec Pompeo.

“Have sent a minister to the region, and will be updating parliament on Tuesday. Extremely serious situation”.

Speaking on a campaign trip to Scotland, Mr Hunt added that he was “very concerned” about an escalation in tensions between Iran and the US.

He said: “The longterm solution is for Iran to cease its very destabilising activities”.

AP:Associated Press

Tensions are rising in Iran after the regime shot down a US drone, prompting airlines to avoid the Gulf area[/caption]

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