Moment UK and US representatives at UN controversially pay respects to Iran’s Raisi

Britain’s representative on the UN Security Council has been criticised after standing in silence to mark the death of Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s hardline president. James Kuriuki, the UK’s deputy ambassador to the UN, joined his colleagues to observe a moment of silence for the leader, whose killings earned him the nickname the “Butcher of Tehran”. The British diplomat stood alongside his American counterpart at the beginning of the 9,629th meeting of the Security Council, for the silence requested by Russia, China and Algeria. Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, said: “Standing in silence for the death of the president of Iran in the UN has to be one of the lowest points for the Foreign Office.” Read more here: #unitednations #controversy #unitedkingdom Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer. Start your free trial now: