Keir Starmer reiterates need to ‘de-escalate’ Israel-Iran conflict in Saturday afternoon call

The Prime Minister spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman this afternoon (Saturday), and Foreign Secretary David Lammy was expected to spend the day in talks with counterparts across the Middle East and elsewhere.

READ MORE: Starmer tells Netanyahu Israel and Iran must pull back from the brink

It comes after Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel overnight with both countries upping the rhetoric as the conflict intensifies.

READ MORE: How the UK could get dragged further into conflict in the Middle East

Tehran has warned the US, the UK and France not to help Israel stop Iran’s strikes, according to reports on Iranian state media today.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Sir Keir and the Crown Prince spoke on Saturday afternoon.

According to a read-out of the conversation issued by Number 10, “they discussed the gravely concerning situation in the Middle East and agreed on the need to de-escalate”.

“The Prime Minister updated on his conversations with partners so far, and reiterated that the UK is poised to work closely with its allies in the coming days to support a diplomatic resolution.”

The Foreign Secretary was due to be briefed by officials on Saturday on the developments overnight, and was expected to speak to figures in the Middle East and elsewhere through the day.

It comes after Mr Lammy had conversations with representatives from Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as well as European foreign ministers on Friday.

Iran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel after a series of Israeli attacks on the heart of Tehran’s nuclear programme and armed forces.

Tehran’s UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded in Friday’s early morning offensive.

As Iran struck back, explosions were heard in Jerusalem and smoke was seen rising over Tel Aviv. Israel’s ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries.

Police later said one person had died. Another two people were confirmed killed in a direct missile strike on central Israel on Saturday morning.

The retaliation attack was unleashed following the assassination of the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami.

The barrage began after a televised address from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who pledged: “The armed forces of the Islamic republic will inflict heavy blows upon this malevolent enemy.”

He warned the consequences of Israel’s attack “will bring it to ruin”.

Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, accused Iran of crossing “red lines” by attacking civilian areas, although some of Israel’s own strikes earlier in the day hit residential parts of Iranian cities.

“We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions,” Katz said.