He urged Iran to return to negotiations after Donald Trump launched US air strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged Iran to return to negotiations after Donald Trump launched US air strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities. The Prime Minister said Iran’s nuclear programme is a “grave threat” which the US military action would “alleviate”.
There is understood to have been no UK involvement in the action, which comes after Sir Keir and Foreign Secretary David Lammy had pushed for a diplomatic solution rather than US action, which could further destabilise the region.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa (not pictured), ahead of bilateral talks at 10 Downing Street, London. Picture date: Thursday June 19, 2025. (Image: PA Wire)
The Prime Minister said: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”
The news comes as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage backed the US action. He said: “Reform UK stands behind the military actions of the USA overnight.
“Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons; the future of Israel depends on it.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the US had taken “decisive action” against Iran.
Posting on X, she said: “By targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, the US has taken decisive action against a regime that fuels global terror and directly threatens the UK.
“Iranian operatives have plotted murders and attacks on British soil.
“We should stand firmly with the US and Israel.”
Sir Keir is expected to be working in Downing Street today where he will make a series of calls to allies. He is due to attend the NATO Summit in The Haguenext week.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the safety of British nationals in the region is paramount.
He told Sky News: “We support the prevention of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“We had proposed a diplomatic course of action, as other European countries had done.
“The Iranians had rejected that.
“And I know people will be waking up this morning and they’ll be worried.
“They’ll want to know what this means. And I do want to give them reassurance that whilst the British government the UK, has not been involved in these attacks, we have been making extensive preparations for all eventualities, including how we look after British nationals in the region and how we get them out, and the assets we have in the region to protect British infrastructure, British bases, British personnel, if we need to do that.
“But from where we are now, what I think we need to do as the President, I believe himself has said is, ‘get back around the table’, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but we need a diplomatic process.”
Priti Patel (Image: Getty)
