Britain’s outgoing spy chief highlights Russia, China and Iran as threats

ISTANBUL (AP) — The outgoing head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency on Friday gave a wide-ranging speech on the threats facing the West as he prepares to leave office later this month, highlighting Russia, China, Iran and Islamist terrorism.

Richard Moore, who departs as the head of MI6 after five years, spent a large part of his address in Istanbul focusing on the war in Ukraine but also highlighted China, Iran and counter-terrorism as the agency’s other priorities.

China

While the U.K. wants a “respectful and constructive relationship,” China must stick to the “established rules of engagement and non-interference,” Moore said, describing the country as one straddling “that dichotomy of opportunity and threat.”

The British government has previously accused Chinese spies of targ