The Prime Minister said instead that all the G7 allies gathered in Canada were in agreement over the need to de-escalate across the Middle East
Donald Trump and the US will not become involved in the escalating military conflict between Israel and Iran, Keir Starmer suggested.
The Prime Minister said instead that all the G7 allies gathered in Canada were in agreement over the need to de-escalate across the Middle East.
His comments came after the US President’s abrupt departure from the summit – a day earlier than planned – to meet with top officials at the White House over the conflict.
In remarks overnight the US President said he was seeking “a real end” to the conflict between Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government and the Iranian regime.
“I didn’t say I was looking for a ceasefire… we’re looking for better than a ceasefire,” Mr Trump said onboard Air Force One as he jetted out of the summit on Monday evening.
Pressed on whether the comments suggested there could be some kind of US action against Iran, Mr Starmer told reporters: “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.”
The PM added: “I don’t think anything that the President said either here or elsewhere suggests that, the wording of the G7 statement is very clear about de-escalation and de-escalation across the region, and obviously including the situation in Gaza for a ceasefire.
“So I think that the statement really speaks for itself in terms of the shared position of everybody who was here at the G7 and that was a statement that was agreed.
“We were sitting around the table discussing the issue, but we were actually looking at the particular words being used in the statement as well, so they sort of faithfully reflect where we were when we discussed it.”
On Monday evening Mr Trump also traded blows with Emmanuel Macron after the French President said the President was leaving the G7 to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, the US President said: “Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran.
“Wrong!” He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!”
Hours after signing the Middle East agreement, President Trump told reporters that he wasn’t interested in a ceasefire, and he also attacked Macron publicly. How disappointing is it that the world thinks that the US is now acting unilaterally on this, and think that the G7 is being sidelined?
Mr Starmer said “I think what he 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. The end we want to see is the de-escalation and back to negotiations — a deal to deal with the Iranian nuclear program, and, of course, the wider question of conflict across the Middle East, including Gaza. “So a ceasefire is always a means to an end, rather than an end in itself, and that is consistent with what we agreed around the table yesterday. And throughout the dinner yesterday I was sitting right next to President Trump, so I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was in relation to the words that were then issued immediately after that, pretty soon after the dinner.”
Iran’s ambassador has dramatically accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians – and said the US shares responsibility for air strikes.
In an emergency session of Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Seyed Ali Mousavi said civilian infrastructure had been deliberately targeted. He read a statement which said: “Israel has committed a blatant act of aggression against Iran. Its relentless campaign of attack against all people continues unabated.
“This is a serious violation of the UN charter and the fundamental principles of international law. This attack crosses all red lines.”
He accused Israel of deliberately targeting a “peaceful nuclear facility” and said: “This is a dangerous and illegal act. There’s no doubt about it. It poses a real act of releasing radioactive material.”
And he continued: “Many of the victims are children. In one brutal attack in Tehran, around 20 children were martyred… The number may rise.”
Mr Mousavi said: “Iran doesn’t seek war or escalation, but we will not hesitate to defend our people, our territory and our sovereignty.