Keir Starmer and Trump call for Iran to return to talks after US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Watch in Full: Sir Keir Starmer calls for restraint after Donald Trump launched US air strikes on Iran

Sir Keir Starmer warned there was a risk of the Middle East crisis spiralling beyond the region after Donald Trump launched US air strikes on the Iran's nuclear facilities.

The Prime Minister spoke to the US President on Sunday night and “discussed the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible”, Downing Street said.

Downing Street said the leaders agreed Tehran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and called for Iran to return to negotiations.

“The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and reiterated the grave risk posed by Iran’s nuclear programme to international security,” Downing Street said.

“They discussed the actions taken by the United States last night to reduce the threat and agreed that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon."

“They agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days.”

There was no British involvement in the action but the Government was informed before the US strikes.

Starmer said he had taken “all necessary measures” to protect British interests in the region if the conflict escalates.

Speaking at his Chequers country retreat, the Prime Minister said there was a “risk of escalation” adding: “That’s a risk to the region.

"It’s a risk beyond the region, and that’s why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme.

“In relation to the UK, we were not involved in the attack. We were given due notice, as we would expect, as close allies to the US, and we have been moving assets to the region to make sure we’re in a position to protect our own interests, our personnel and our assets, and, of course, those of our allies.”

Starmer chaired a meeting of the Government’s Cobra crisis committee on Sunday afternoon and held a series of calls with world leaders.

The prime minster, alongside Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz have warned Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region” following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

In a joint statement the leaders of the UK, France and Germany said: “We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security."

“We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear programme. We stand ready to contribute to that goal in co-ordination with all parties.

“We urge Iran not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.

“We will continue our joint diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions and ensure the conflict does not intensify and spread further," they added.

The US action comes just days after Starmer, who attended the G7 summit in Canada with Trump, said on Tuesday there was “nothing” from the president to suggest he was about to get involved in the conflict.

Asked on Sunday if he had been left looking foolish by the UK’s closest ally ignoring his calls for de-escalation and pushing ahead with military strikes, the Prime Minister said: “It’s clearly a fast-moving situation and there’s been a huge amount of discussion in the days since the G7 ended.”

The Prime Minister sought to dodge questions about whether the UK could get dragged into the conflict if Iran targeted the bases of the US, a Nato ally.

“I’m not going to speculate about what may happen, because all of my focus is on de-escalation,” he said.

“But I do want to reassure the public we have taken all necessary measures to protect UK interests, UK personnel and to work with our allies to protect their interests as well.”

Extra RAF Typhoon jets have already been moved to the region and Defence Secretary John Healey said “force protection is at its highest level” following the US strikes.

British Airways cancelled flights on Sunday from London to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in respose to the US strikes on Iran.

All flights from Heathrow Airport to Dubai and Doha were canceled for the day. The airline diverted a Dubai-bound airliner on Saturday night to Zurich.

In an earlier post on X, the Prime Minister said Iran’s nuclear programme is a “grave threat” which the US military action would “alleviate”.

The US attacked three sites in Iran including the Fordo facility, which is buried deep underground.

President Trump said the key nuclear sites had been “completely and fully obliterated”.

In an address to the nation from the White House, he warned there could be further strikes if Iran retaliates: “There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran.”

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warned the attacks “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.

The strikes followed a build-up of US military equipment, with B-2 stealth bombers – which are the only aircraft to carry a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb – reportedly used to target the underground facilities.

The aircraft have previously used the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia, one of the Chagos Islands, but it is understood that was not involved in the strikes which hit Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.

The attack on Iran also involved US submarines, which launched around 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Trump’s move towards military action came despite Sir Keir’s pleas for diplomacy and his repeated calls for de-escalation.

On Thursday the Prime Minister warned of a “real risk of escalation” in the conflict, adding there had previously been “several rounds of discussions” with Washington and “that, to me, is the way to resolve this issue”.

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The Foreign Secretary urged the US to pull back from the brink on a visit to Washington for talks with counterpart Marco Rubio before heading to talks with Iran on Friday alongside European allies.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also backed Trump’s decision to strike Iran.

He said: “Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, the future of Israel depends on it.”

Iran launched a ballistic missile barrage against Israel in retaliation to the US action.

The foreign ministry in Tehran issued a statement condemning the United States’ "brutal military aggression against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities”.

It added: “The Islamic Republic of Iran is resolved to defend Iran’s territory, sovereignty, security and people by all force and means against the United States’ criminal aggression.”

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