Keir Starmer reiterates need to ‘de-escalate’ Israel-Iran conflict
Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated the need to “de-escalate” the conflict between Israel and Iran as the diplomatic push to calm tensions continues.
The Prime Minister spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, on Saturday afternoon, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy was expected to spend the day in talks with counterparts across the Middle East and elsewhere.
It comes after Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel overnight.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Sir Keir and the Crown Prince spoke on Saturday afternoon.
‘Gravely concerning’
According to a read-out of the conversation issued by Number 10, “they discussed the gravely concerning situation in the Middle East and agreed on the need to de-escalate”.
“The Prime Minister updated on his conversations with partners so far, and reiterated that the UK is poised to work closely with its allies in the coming days to support a diplomatic resolution.”
The Foreign Secretary was due to be briefed by officials on Saturday on the developments overnight, and was expected to speak to figures in the Middle East and elsewhere through the day.
It comes after Mr Lammy had conversations with representatives from Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as well as European foreign ministers on Friday.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran has warned the US, the UK and France not to help Israel stop Iran’s strikes.
A Government spokesperson said: “We will always take robust action to defend our forces in the region if it is ever required.
“Iran must seek de-escalation through diplomacy and talks.”
Iran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel overnight after a series of Israeli attacks on the heart of Tehran’s nuclear programme and armed forces.
Tehran’s UN ambassador said 78 people had been killed and more than 320 wounded in Israel’s attacks, while Tehran’s response was said to have killed at least three and wounded dozens.
Restraint
Speaking to broadcasters on Friday evening, Mr Lammy said: “I spoke to my Iranian counterpart today to urge restraint at this time and calm. I recognise that this is a moment of grave peril in the Middle East.”
Sir Keir and US President Donald Trump called for “diplomacy and dialogue” in a call on Friday, amid a diplomatic flurry from western nations to try to calm the conflict.
Sir Keir had earlier urged his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate and work towards a “diplomatic resolution”.
A Cobra meeting of high-level ministers was convened on Friday afternoon to discuss the situation. The same is not expected on Saturday but Whitehall officials were expected to be meeting.
The conflict was ignited by early morning Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear bases on Friday.
Israel said the barrage was necessary before Iran got any closer to building a nuclear weapon, although experts and the US government have assessed that Tehran was not actively working on such a weapon.
Iran retaliated with waves of drones and ballistic missiles, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Sir Keir is set for discussions with other world leaders at the G7 summit in Canada next week.
Tensions between Israel, the US and Iran have escalated in recent weeks, amid negotiations over the Iranian nuclear deal, which is aimed at preventing the country from developing nuclear weapons.
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God he’s so wet & spineless! If Iran obtains nuclear weapons the entire western world will be at risk from the psychopathic Mullahs. Iran needs to be brought to its knees and the regime buried so the decent Iranians can join modernity & create a decent relationship with the world.
Blah blah blah.
Um, we heard the same warning about North Korea and nothing much happened after they went nuclear.
Talking of psychopaths, having the time of his life since crawling out of test-tube to help make the ‘Great Satan Great Again’ the scariest android yet…Steven Miller on a supersized Clan man-hunt…the lynchings have started…
Are you familiar with Cerberus. the three headed hound that guards the Gates of Hades… Greek attack dog like those being supplied by Europe to the IDF… I repeat, I support the right to life for all… The son of a Blitz Fireman, what he saw he described from a distance…From a fire boat on the Mersey as the molasses poured like napalm from the warehouses and covered the burning river. The view of Manchester in Flames as seen from the top of the Corn Exchange. No details of body parts etc they were burnt on the back of his… Read more »
Have you heard of mutually assured destruction? Were Iran to launch a nuclear strike against the west, then the rest will retaliate in kind. Its the reason why the cold war didn’t get hot, and the reason why we won’t send forces to Ukraine.
I’m not defending the Iranian regime and I don’t want nuclear proliferation but why is it okay for Israel to have nukes but not Iran?
If the UK continue the policy of happily supplying arms to Israel then they will just as happily continue pounding the life juice out of the Iranians.
It’s about time the UK imposed sanctions on Israel, stop giving diplomatic excuses, kick the Israeli ambassador out, stop training IDF personnel on UK soil, stop supporting genocide,
They took 300,000 pieces of silver to bind their tongues…
Careful what you say, I’m a humanist, I travel in a convoy of one…
As it is Sunday have read of the Olivet Discourse Mathew 24-25 Mark 13 and Luke 21 and then take a look at the Rev Millar MS