British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the war in Iran is not a war for Britain, and his country is not getting dragged into it, reported Xinhua.
Answering questions on a Liaison Committee session, Starmer said there must be "a lawful basis and a viable and thought-through plan" for any British action, adding: "This is not our war, and we are not getting dragged into this war."
He said he's told his team not to fall into the "false comfort" that there could be a "quick and early end."
"The immediate priority has to be a swift resolution of the conflict and delivering a negotiated agreement which puts tough conditions on Iran, particularly in relation to nuclear weapons," he added.
British Defense Secretary John Healey also told the parliament on Monday that Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon has arrived in the eastern Mediterranean, and will begin "operational integration" into Cyprus' defence.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.
The conflict escalated sharply after U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday gave Tehran 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping route for 20 percent of the world's oil, warning that otherwise Washington could strike Iranian power infrastructure. Tehran responded by signaling it would retaliate across the region if such attacks went ahead.
Earlier on Monday, Trump said he had ordered the military to delay strikes on Iranian power plants and energy facilities for five days after what he called "productive" talks with Iran. He also suggested the Strait of Hormuz could be "jointly controlled" by the United States and Iran.
Iran later denied having negotiations with the United States, adding that Tehran's stance on the Strait of Hormuz as well as its conditions to end the war have not changed.
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Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
