Sir Keir Starmer has played down the prospect of imminent US intervention in the Middle East after Donald Trump abruptly left a major global summit amid raging conflict between Israel and Iran.
The Prime Minister said “nothing” he had heard from the US president suggested Washington was poised to get involved as western leaders continue to press for de-escalation between the two long-time foes.
Mr Trump departed the G7 conference in Canada a day early for what he called “big stuff” and urged Iranian citizens to evacuate Tehran, which triggered speculation that American forces might join Israel.
Asked whether the US could get involved as the conflict threatens to spiral into all-out war, Sir Keir told reporters with him at the conference in Kananaskis: “There is nothing the President said that suggests he’s about to get involved in this conflict, on the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation.”
In a statement on Monday before Mr Trump’s departure, leaders had reiterated their “commitment to peace and stability” but stopped short of calling for a truce between Israel and Iran.
The Prime Minister said the wording “faithfully reflects” the discussions of allies around the table.
“I don’t think anything that the President said either here or elsewhere suggests that,” he said when pressed on the prospect of imminent US involvement.
“I think that the statement really speaks for itself in terms of the shared position of everybody who was here at the G7.”
The Prime Minister was asked whether Britain would potentially support the US if it took action to limit Iran’s nuclear programme, which leaders have condemned.
“On nuclear, Iran’s nuclear programme, I’ve been very clear. We are deeply concerned about the programme. I certainly do not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
“But the thrust of the statement is in accordance with what I was saying on the way out here, which is to de-escalate the situation, and to de-escalate it across the region rather than to escalate it.”
Hours after signing the Middle East agreement, Mr Trump has suggested that he was not interested in a truce while also attacking French President Emmanuel Macron, who had told French media that the US leader was leaving early to negotiate a ceasefire.
Asked whether he was disappointed in the apparent US move to act unilaterally in relation to the conflict amid concerns the G7 could be sidelined, Sir Keir played down divisions.
He told reporters: “I think what (the president) said was he wanted to go beyond a ceasefire effectively and end the conflict.
“And I think he’s right about that. I mean, a ceasefire is always a means to an end.”
