Keir Starmer is travelling to the Gulf to meet leaders in the region to discuss diplomatic efforts to support the ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran.<\/p>\n
The prime minister\u2019s visit on Wednesday comes hours after a two-week ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday evening, canceling a self-imposed deadline by the US president, Donald Trump, for Iran to surrender or face widespread destruction.<\/p>\n
Starmer said on Wednesday: \u201cI welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with our partners we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and reopen the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Downing Street said the prime minister would discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire to bring a \u201clasting resolution\u201d to the conflict, and protect the UK and global economy, which has squeezed consumers and countries around the world.<\/p>\n
Starmer\u2019s visit, planned before the ceasefire was announced, comes he faced mounting pressure to limit US access to British airbases, after Trump warned that a \u201cwhole civilization will die<\/a>\u201d if Tehran did not comply with his demands and allow commercial shipping to pass through the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The US president\u2019s comments were criticised from military observers and retired officers as \u201clikely war crimes<\/a>\u201d, and were not directly criticised by Downing Street<\/p>\n The British foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, is reported to have spoken with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, after Trump\u2019s remarks and is said to have urged a swift end to the conflict, while giving the UK\u2019s backing to negotiations and efforts to prevent further escalation.<\/p>\n Cooper and Rubio also discussed international efforts and diplomatic measures to open the strait of Hormuz, including a UK-led meeting chaired by Cooper that brought together more than 40 countries to pursue reopening.<\/p>\n