BREAKING NEWSStarmer urges against 'further escalation'

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Sir Keir Starmer has urged against further escalation in the Middle East after the UK did not participate in US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The Prime Minister said that British planes are ‘in the sky today’ to ‘protect our people, our interests and our allies’ after waves of missile attacks in countries across the region.

Speaking in Downing Street today, the Prime Minister hit out at Iran’s ‘abhorrent’ regime, saying they must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon.

‘Earlier this morning the US and Israel struck targets in Iran,’ Sir Keir said.

‘Iran has since launched indiscriminate strikes across the region and communities across our country will be deeply concerned about what this mean for security and stability and for the fate of innocent people across the region, which for so many of us includes friends and family members.’

He continued: ‘The United Kingdom played no role in these strikes, but we have long been clear the regime in Iran is utterly abhorrent.

‘They have murdered thousands of their own people, brutally crushed dissent and sought to destabilize the region. Even in the United Kingdom, the Iranian regime poses a direct threat to dissidents and to the Jewish community.’

The PM added: ‘I condemn Iran’s attacks today on partners across the region, many of which are not parties to this conflict. We extend our support and solidarity to them as part of our commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East. We have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we’ve recently strengthened.

‘Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies.

‘As Britain has done before, in line with international law, we’ve stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level. We are also reaching out to UK nationals in the region and doing everything we can to support them.’

Speaking in Downing Street today, the Prime Minister said British planes are in the sky to ‘protect our people’

It comes as speculation grows that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei may have been killed in the first wave of missile strikes in the country by the US and Israel this morning.

The two nations struck targets in cities including Tehran, Bushehr, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah and Isfahan.

Elsewhere, they hit southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and an area said to be housing Iran-supporting militia groups in al-Nasr, Iraq.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump told the Ayatollah to either ‘surrender or die’ as he announced the US had launched strikes across several cities in Iran.

He said: ‘To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity.

‘Or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.’

Iran said there would be a ‘crushing response’ and launched missiles across Israel including in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.

In a statement, the country’s military said that all US ‘bases, resources and assets’ are ‘legitimate targets’.

Dramatic footage showed the moment Iran his US’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, with a huge mushroom of smoke billowing into the sky following an explosion.

Iran also targeted US infrastructure at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and areas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The aftermath of an attack by Iran on the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain on Saturday

Explosions have been reported in Dubai and Syria, and Jordan has shot down two ballistic missiles.

Iran and Israel continue to exchange fire this afternoon, with multiple waves of strikes across the Middle East.

Starmer also joined European allies today in condemning Iranian attacks on Middle Eastern countries following US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

It came after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch expressed her full support for the attack on Iran.

She described the Tehran government as a ‘vile regime’ that ‘carries out attacks on the UK and on our citizens’, sought to build nuclear weapons and ‘brutally repressed pro-democracy protests only months ago and murdered thousands of its own people’.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier called for the UK to allow the US to use its bases in further strikes.

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Israeli media say ‘growing indications’ that Iran’s Supreme Leader was killed in strike

‘The Prime Minister needs to change his mind on the use of our military bases and back the Americans in this vital fight against Iran!’ he said in a post on X.

Meanwhile Zack Polanski, leader of the Greens, dubbed the attack ‘illegal’ and ‘unprovoked’.

He wrote: ‘This is an illegal, unprovoked and brutal attack that shows once again that the USA and Israel are rogue states.

‘The UK must end our cosy relationship with the USA and our ongoing support for Israel.’

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the Prime Minister to rule out allowing British bases to be used for ‘future unilateral US strikes’.

He said: ‘The Iranian people deserve to live free from a brutal regime. Donald Trump’s unilateral and illegal military action won’t deliver freedom, peace and security. It will only unleash more bloodshed.’

Britain was not involved in the strikes on Iran, and the Government has advised UK nationals in some parts of the Middle East to ‘shelter in place’.

Earlier the Prime Minister hosted an emergency Cobra meeting at Downing Street, and the UN Security Council is also scheduled to meet later today.

In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, Sir Keir condemned Iran’s retaliation ‘in the strongest terms’.

The three leaders said: ‘Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future.’

Sir Keir’s statement comes after he chaired a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee before speaking to allies including France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The joint statement added that the three countries were ‘in close contact’ with international partners including the US and Israel.

Sir Keir Starmer’s statement in full

Earlier this morning, the United States and Israel struck targets in Iran. Iran has since launched indiscriminate strikes across the region.

I know the British people and communities across our country will be deeply concerned about what this means for security and stability, and for the fate of innocent people across the region, which for so many of us includes friends and family members. So whilst the situation is evolving very quickly, I want to set out our response.

The United Kingdom played no role in these strikes, but we have long been clear the regime in Iran is utterly abhorrent. They have murdered thousands of their own people, brutally crushed dissent and sought to destabilize the region. Even in the United Kingdom, the Iranian regime poses a direct threat to dissidents and to the Jewish community.

Over the last year alone, they have backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on UK soil. So it is clear they must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. That remains the primary aim of the United Kingdom and our allies, including the US.

I condemn Iran’s attacks today on partners across the region, many of which are not parties to this conflict. We extend our support and solidarity to them as part of our commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East. We have a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we’ve recently strengthened.

Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies. As Britain has done before, in line with international law, we’ve stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level. We are also reaching out to UK nationals in the region and doing everything we can to support them.

I’ve been speaking with leaders today from the E3 and across the region. It is vital that we prevent further escalation and return to a diplomatic process. We want to see peace and security and the protection of civilian life.

Iran can end this now. They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programs, and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people who deserve the right to determine their own future.

In line with our long standing position, this is the route to de-escalation and back to the negotiating table. Thank you.