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The Deputy Leader of the Green Party has hit out at "inherently racist" claims he was showing support for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini during a rally against the US and Israel's strikes on Iran on Saturday.
Speaking to LBC News, Mothin Ali said Saturday's demonstration was organised by Stop the War Coalition and was not a show of support for the regime in Iran.
Rather, it was a protest against military intervention in the region – which has led to hundreds of deaths across the Middle East as missile exchanges and drone attacks continue.
Critics, including Sir Keir Starmer, said they were shocked to learn that the Green Party's deputy leader attended the rally and protested against the US killing of Iran's leader.
Hitting out against those claims, Mr Ali insisted he didn't support the Khomeini regime.
He said: “In London, I was taking pictures with some volunteers and I asked them, ‘look, please don't include your children in any photos with me because what's going to end up happening is the right wing are automatically going to pick it and they'll attack you and they'll attack your children just because you stood next to me.’
“Because for a lot of these Twitter trolls, I'm a very easy figure to attack and be racist to.
“And it is pure racism. And the problem is whether it's the mainstream media or whether it's some of these social media outlets, they're not calling it out. Frame the argument, have the argument, have the discussion in a direct way, in a robust way. Leave the racism.”
He also called on Starmer to “stand up to Trump” and say no to getting involved with the US and Israel's co-ordinated attacks against Iran and its allies.
“Keir Starmer needs to put his foot down and say, ‘we're not going to be dragged into Trump's forever wars and do the bidding of Netanyahu.”
He added: “We can't be allowed to fall into more illegal wars, more loss of life. And again, this is the thing that I'm really, really passionate about….when kids who struggle finding other opportunities join the army, join the Navy, RAF, they're the kids who end up dying. Whyshould my kids become cannon fodder for Trump's wars?”
It comes after Sir Keir defended his decision not to allow UK bases to be used by the US in the initial strikes against Iran in the face of criticism from Trump.
Speaking from the Commons today, the PM insisted his decision not to get involved in the initial strikes on Iran was in Britain’s national interest, adding: “That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”
Sir Keir said around 100,000 British nationals are currently in the Middle East and his Government is looking at “all options to support our people” in the region.
He added: "We want to ensure that they can return home as swiftly and safely as possible.”
Mr Ali said this was “the right thing to do” but urged the “weak” Prime Minister to go further.
“The right thing to do was draw a line and say, look, we're not going tobe involved. I think he has been weak. I think what he's trying to do is trying to skate a fine line to try and look like he's helping without helping, without looking like he's not helping.”
It comes after US President Donald Trump said he was "very disappointed" in Sir Keir for initially refusing to allow the use of the UK-US Diego Garcia base to target Iran
The PM granted permission on Sunday for the US to use British bases to target Iran’s missile launchers and stores to help protect countries targeted by Tehran.
Mr Trump said it “took far too long” for the Prime Minister to change his mind.