Green Party leader Zack Polanski has sharply criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of adhering to a “law of the jungle” approach in the wake of what he describes as “illegal and unprovoked” American strikes on Iran.
Polanski, who identifies as an “eco-populist,” voiced strong opposition from the Left against the U.S. and Israeli military actions, which reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He expressed concern over what he sees as a deterioration of international law, asserting that “there is no historical precedent where bombing has successfully led to democracy.”
In response to the U.S. and Israeli actions, Iran has launched missiles across the Middle East, targeting civilian airports and hotels.
Polanski criticized Sir Keir Starmer for condemning Iran’s retaliatory actions while failing to denounce the initial strikes by Israel and the United States. He described this stance as “absolutely outrageous.”
The Green Party leader called on the Prime Minister to publicly denounce these “illegal and unprovoked strikes” on television.
The Green leader, who saw his party win Thursday’s Gorton and Denton by-election, also claimed the UK should ‘disentangle’ itself from decades of military co-operation with the US.
But Mr Polanski was branded a ‘charlatan’ for claiming to be speaking up for the Iranian people.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski today accused Donald Trump of operating in ‘the law of the jungle’ as he hit out at America’s ‘illegal and unprovoked’ strikes on Iran
The self-described ‘eco-populist’ led Left-wing fury at the US and Israeli attacks, which have killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Polanski criticised Defence Secretary John Healey – who had appeared earlier on the programme – for failing to condemn the US attacks.
‘We’ve seen what I would say is an illegal and unprovoked attack,’ the Green leader said.
‘We’ve got a Defence Secretary saying that diplomacy is the long runway we need but won’t condemn Donald Trump when he attacks a country and assassinates its leader.
‘That’s the law of the jungle. That’s an end to international law.
‘It’s quite astounding that we have a Prime Minister that seems singularly incapable of standing up to Donald Trump and letting the UK stand on its own two feet, and I’m worried the UK is going to be pulled into another illegal war.’
Mr Polanski admitted he didn’t have ‘an easy answer’ on bringing peace and democracy to Iran and the region, but added: ‘I do know there’s no example in history where you’ve bombed people to democracy.
‘Air strikes for regime change has never led to an example where a country is better off afterwards.’
He insisted he was ‘here in no way to defend the Iranian regime’, but was ‘here to defend and speak up for the Iranian people’.
Mr Trump has said the objective of his strikes on Iran were to eliminate ‘imminent threats’ from the Iranian regime and to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In the wake of the US and Israeli strikes, Mr Polanski claimed ‘international law is eroding before our very eyes and that is making us all less safe’.
‘My principle priority as a leader of a political party in the UK and, indeed, hopefully the prime minister, is to protect people in this country,’ he added.
‘And our national security is being worsened by increasing tensions in that region. I think the number one priority has to be cool heads and calling for de-escalation andto stick to international law.’
He urged Sir Keir to ‘get out on TV and condemn these illegal and unprovoked strikes’, adding: ‘I need to see the PM talk about de-escalation and I need to see a disentanglement of this country with the military with the US, which I think is pulling us into a more dangerous position.’Â
Challenged on whether he was also calling on Iran to stop its strikes, Mr Polanski said ‘he was calling on everyone to de-escalate’.Â
Mr Trump has said the objective of his strikes on Iran were to eliminate ‘imminent threats’ from the Iranian regime and to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The US President said he ‘sought repeatedly’ tried to strike a deal with Tehran but claimed Iran ‘rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions’.
But Mr Polanski said: ‘It’s absolutely outrageous they (Iran) can be at the negotiating table and then our PM puts out a statement that actually condemns Iran for a retaliatory attack, as opposed to Israel and America that started the bombing in the first place.’
Responding to the Green leader’s comments, Labour MP David Taylor said: ‘How dare this absolute charlatan claim to be listening to and speaking up for the Iranian people, whilst doing anything but.’
