Stirling MP and the SNP’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, has called for calm heads amid the confrontation between the US and Iran.
Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland (8 Jan), Mr Smith said that de-escalation is in everyone’s best interests. This follows Iranian strikes on Iraqi bases housing US troops, in what appears to be a response to the US’s assassination of Iran’s top General Qasem Soleimani.
Mr Smith was appointed his front-bench position in the SNP MP team this week and follows a number of years of experience in international politics as an MEP, having served on the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Commenting, he said:
“I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Foreign Affairs spokesperson for the SNP in Westminster and will be working closely with our spokespersons on Defence and Europe during what is a highly turbulent time on both fronts.
“General Soleimani was a particularly aggressive individual, however, there are real questions over the United States’ assassination of him: was it the sensible thing to do and was it legal?
“In the aftermath of Iranian missile strikes that appear to be in response to this assassination, the UK must use what influence it has to bring calm and reasoned discussion. All-out war is in nobody’s interest.
“Working constructively must be the way that this situation is handled, such as bringing about improvements to Iran Nuclear Deal. However, we need calm heads in order to do this – and that must be how the UK approaches this matter.”