Ed Miliband Criticized for Handshake with Iranian Minister

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has received backlash after being photographed shaking hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting, which took place on September 21, 2026, was intended to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and threats linked to Iran on British soil.

Shadow Foreign Office Secretary Tom Tugendhat criticized Miliband for "legitimising a regime" that has harmed British interests, stating that the Iranian regime has not justified such meetings. He emphasized that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is effectively in control of Iran.

Shadow Foreign Office minister Alicia Kearns also condemned the handshake, calling it a "propaganda win for Tehran." In response, the UK Foreign Office clarified that Miliband used the meeting to warn Araghchi against intimidation and hostile activities in the UK.