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| Starmer urges Iran and Israel to 'step back' after strikes targeting Tehran | Starmer urges Iran and Israel to 'step back' after strikes targeting Tehran |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged restraint following Israeli strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme. | Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged restraint following Israeli strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Fears of a full-scale conflict have been stoked by warnings of "severe punishment" from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and reports of drone launches in response. | Fears of a full-scale conflict have been stoked by warnings of "severe punishment" from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and reports of drone launches in response. |
| A Cobra meeting is expected early this afternoon to discuss the UK response to the emergency situation. | A Cobra meeting is expected early this afternoon to discuss the UK response to the emergency situation. |
| Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also cancelled a planned trip to Washington DC to meet his his counterpart Marco Rubio, although there is no plan for a ministerial statement in the House of Commons. | Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also cancelled a planned trip to Washington DC to meet his his counterpart Marco Rubio, although there is no plan for a ministerial statement in the House of Commons. |
| UK officials said the UK did not play any part in the action overnight but is continuing to monitor the situation. | UK officials said the UK did not play any part in the action overnight but is continuing to monitor the situation. |
| The prime minister said: "The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. | The prime minister said: "The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. |
| "Escalation serves no-one in the region. Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. | "Escalation serves no-one in the region. Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. |
| "Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy." | "Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy." |
| Posting on X, Lammy also stressed stability in the Middle East was "vital" for global security. | Posting on X, Lammy also stressed stability in the Middle East was "vital" for global security. |
| "Further escalation is a serious threat to peace and stability in the region and in no-one's interest," he said. | "Further escalation is a serious threat to peace and stability in the region and in no-one's interest," he said. |
| "This is a dangerous moment and I urge all parties to show restraint." | "This is a dangerous moment and I urge all parties to show restraint." |
| Rubio also said that Israel acted unilaterally, adding in a post on X, that the US is "not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region". | Rubio also said that Israel acted unilaterally, adding in a post on X, that the US is "not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region". |
| The attack appeared to be the most significant Iran has faced since its war with Iraq in the 1980s. | The attack appeared to be the most significant Iran has faced since its war with Iraq in the 1980s. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel had "struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme" and "the heart of Iran's nuclear weaponisation programme". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel had "struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme" and "the heart of Iran's nuclear weaponisation programme". |
| Netanyahu added the "operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat". | Netanyahu added the "operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat". |
| Iranian state television reported that the leader of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Hossein Salami was killed as well as chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri. | Iranian state television reported that the leader of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Hossein Salami was killed as well as chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, General Mohammad Bagheri. |
| Speaking to journalists, Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said that Israel had the "right to defend itself" and now the UK needed to work with its allies in the Middle East to deliver "stability" in the region. | |
| Dame Priti said: "There is no question that Israel always has the right to defend itself. | |
| "It's got the Iranian regime, who have been clear at the outset what their objective is in terms of wiping Israel out. | |
| "When you think about the tensions, the language that has been used of late, there is a very, very big moment here, I think for Britain and the United States, and also for many of our close, close allies." | |
| Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said international leadership is needed from the UK Government. | Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said international leadership is needed from the UK Government. |
| "People across the UK and the world will be fearing the break-out of widespread regional conflict in the Middle East, following Israel's strikes overnight," he said. | "People across the UK and the world will be fearing the break-out of widespread regional conflict in the Middle East, following Israel's strikes overnight," he said. |
| "The UK must work with allies to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions through diplomacy, not war." | "The UK must work with allies to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions through diplomacy, not war." |
| Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. | Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. |