Sir Keir Starmer has indicated he will back American efforts to neutralise Iran’s nuclear program as President Donald Trump continues to pressure the Islamic Republic.
The Prime Minister stopped short of explicitly endorsing potential military action against Tehran after the US leader promised “speed and violence, if necessary”.
“The goal or the aim here is that Iran shouldn’t be able to develop nuclear weapons, and that is hugely important,” Sir Keir stressed.
When pressed on whether the UK would support US strikes against Iranian targets, the PM remained carefully non-committal.
“I am saying we support the goal and we are talking to allies about how we get to that goal,” he responded.
Downing Street officials declined to comment on hypothetical military scenarios.
US pressure on Iran comes amid the Islamic Republic’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests across the country.
Sir Keir condemned the regime’s violent suppression of demonstrators as “grotesque”, making clear this remains a central concern for the British Government.
Sir Keir Starmer has indicated he will back American efforts to neutralise Iran’s nuclear program
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“We need to deal with the fact that they are repressing protesters, killing protesters,” he told the BBC.
Human Rights Activists in Iran, a US-based monitoring organisation also known as HRANA, has documented 6,126 confirmed deaths, with 5,777 of those being protesters.
Mr Trump has significantly escalated his pressure campaign against Tehran in recent days, dispatching what he described as a “massive armada” to the Gulf region.
The naval force, spearheaded by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, arrived in the Middle East this week alongside reinforced air and ground-based anti-aircraft capabilities.
Donald Trump has issued several threats of strikes against the Islamic Republic
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Mr Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, demanding they “come to the table” for negotiations on a “fair and equitable deal” that would see the country abandon its nuclear weapons programme.
“Time is running out; it is truly of the essence!” the US president wrote on Truth Social.
He cautioned failure to engage in talks would result in severe consequences, referencing last year’s bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The next attack will be far worse,” Mr Trump warned.
Washington is said to be considering military options that could be implemented imminently, with former Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus saying it was “only a matter of time”.
Amid the standoff, Sir Keir is also under pressure to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation following the European Union’s decision to do the same.
“It’s the long-standing position of successive governments that we don’t comment on matters related to proscription,” a No10 spokesman said on the issue.
Officials indicated the UK stands ready to impose additional sanctions should the crackdown continue, while maintaining cooperation with international partners on Iranian threats.
The US leader has dispatched a carrier strike group amid tensions with Iran
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Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel sharply criticised the Labour Government’s approach on Thursday.
“The Labour Government’s silence on the IRGC is appalling,” she said, describing the Tehran regime’s actions as “an affront to humanity”.
Dame Priti called on ministers to “stand up for the Iranian people and confront this vile regime with strength and resolve”.
She added the Conservatives had offered to work with Labour on establishing legal mechanisms for action.