Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed support for the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites while cautioning that the action carries a risk of wider escalation. Speaking after the strikes, Starmer emphasised that the UK was not involved in the operation and called on Tehran to return to negotiations.
Starmer convened a Cobra meeting and held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday. A joint statement from the three leaders said it was “clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon” and urged Iran to avoid further destabilising actions. They reaffirmed their commitment to diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions.
The US did not request UK assistance, including use of the Diego Garcia base. Flights from London to Dubai and Doha were cancelled after a British Airways flight diverted, and Israel closed its airspace. Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump on Sunday night, agreeing that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon and should return to negotiations.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds defended the strikes, stating that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is in British interests, though he acknowledged a diplomatic path had been preferred. However, Labour MP Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee, called the strikes a “big mistake” that risked a wider conflict.
