UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was on a Spanish beach when US President Donald Trump threatened to erase Iranian civilization. Starmer returned to Britain on Tuesday night and left again on Wednesday for a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. The ceasefire was agreed just before a deadline set by Donald Trump, who threatened Iran's civilization.
The UK has allowed US forces to use its military sites for defensive operations and, as of Friday, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Sir Keir announced late on Sunday that US forces would be allowed to operate from British bases against Iran, but only in a limited, defensive role such as targeting missile sites. The UK has pulled together a coalition of over 30 countries to work on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting extensive diplomatic efforts to address the maritime blockade.
Donald Trump threatened to 'obliterate' Iran and end its civilization, with many interpreting this as a willingness to use nuclear weapons.
Starmer had a 20-minute call with Donald Trump to discuss the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He also met with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz and other issues. Starmer arrived in the UAE for talks on the Iran war as the ceasefire agreement came under strain, underscoring his active engagement with regional leaders to stabilize the situation.
Contradictory reports surround US-Iran negotiations. Downing Street welcomed Donald Trump's decision to postpone strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after talks with Tehran. However, Iranian state media denied any negotiations with the US. Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in a social media post at around midnight, adding to the confusion over diplomatic progress.
Trump has criticized Starmer as 'disappointing', 'no Churchill', and called NATO countries 'cowards' for not sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Uncertainty persists about the Strait of Hormuz's status. Iran's Fars news agency reported the Strait of Hormuz was blocked again due to a ceasefire breach by Israel. Reports suggest Iran is seeking to impose a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially complicating efforts to ensure free navigation.
Domestically, Starmer's handling of the Iran situation had 38% approval and 45% disapproval in a YouGov poll on March 30. However, his personal ratings improved by 11 points since the start of the US-Israeli strikes, according to an Opinium survey, indicating mixed public sentiment amid the crisis.
Starmer said the UK has a 'job' to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to stabilize energy prices.
Trump has publicly criticized Starmer. He posted a clip from the British 'Saturday Night Live' mocking Keir Starmer as a coward. Donald Trump highlighted the issues around Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands which are at the centre of a diplomatic row between the UK, US and Mauritius, in a Telegraph interview. The US president criticized the refusal to grant permission to use the base, escalating tensions over military cooperation.
Starmer has faced legal and policy challenges regarding UK base usage. The Prime Minister clashed with the American president over the use of UK bases by US forces to attack Iran. Sir Keir Starmer appeared to challenge the legality of the air strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. Sir Keir Starmer strongly defended his refusal to allow British military bases to be used for the initial and offensive attacks on the Tehran regime, highlighting ongoing disputes.
Starmer reiterated the UK is not 'getting drawn into this war' and acts in collective self-defense.
The UK has justified its limited base access on defensive grounds. Sir Keir stressed on Monday that Britain was not getting involved in the US and Israeli offensive action against Iran. US forces were now being allowed to use UK bases to target Iranian missile sites, as part of 'collective self-defence' after Tehran attacked Gulf states and other countries, threatening the lives of British citizens and others, emphasizing a cautious approach.
International diplomatic developments have involved other leaders. Elon Musk joined a phone call between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi about the Iran war, showing broader global engagement in the conflict.
Trump threatened to obliterate Iran's power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by midnight on Monday.
On the domestic economic front, Keir Starmer chaired a Cobra meeting to address the economic impact of the war, with Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey attending, as the UK government responds to potential disruptions from the crisis.
Starmer told Trump he was 'fed up' with the impact of Trump's actions on energy bills, grouping him with Vladimir Putin.
Starmer called for no tolling or restrictions on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Starmer said the Iran conflict will 'define us for a generation'.
Starmer said Europeans need to do more for NATO.
Trump threatened to destroy Iran's bridges and power plants if Tehran did not meet his deadline.
The Prime Minister told the Commons: 'This Government does not believe in regime change from the skies. I will not commit our military personnel to unlawful action.'
Sir Keir said: 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes. But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest, that is what I’ve done and I stand by it.'
Trump had told how he was 'very disappointed' at Sir Keir for initially refusing to allow the use of the UK-US Diego Garcia base to target Iran.
The US president said it 'took far too long' for the Prime Minister to change his mind.
Sir Keir said: 'Any UK action must always have a lawful basis. It must also always have a viable and thought-through plan. And it must be in our national interests.'