Keir Starmer: It takes more than just words to make US-Iran ceasefire permanent

Sir Keir Starmer has said he discussed the “fragile” nature of the US-Iran ceasefire with Gulf allies and that “it takes more than just words” to make it permanent.

The Prime Minister arrived in Bahrain on Thursday afternoon as part of a trip to the region, which also included stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, amid signs the ceasefire is already under strain.

Tehran has reclosed the key oil shipping channel the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

Gulf nations have borne the brunt of Tehran’s retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign against it, with thousands of Iranian missiles and drones targeting US military sites and energy infrastructure there.

After talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sir Keir told broadcasters: “I think the mood is very much one of the shock that they were attacked in the first place, because of course they weren’t attacking Iran, and the intensity of some of the attacks.

“Relief that there’s now a ceasefire. I think a general sense that it’s fragile, that there’s work to do in relation to it.

“And then a lot of reflection and discussion, me with them, about the work we did over the last six to seven weeks together, the collective self-defence, the capabilities.

“And an opportunity frankly for me to say thank you to our personnel who are out here, who’ve been, many of the pilots have been working from about two hours after the conflict started.

“But I’m very clear that one, it’s very important we stand with our long-standing allies and be here showing our support and reflecting on the work we’re doing together. And for them, a sense that we’re a friend that’s come at this time to have these really important discussions with them and to make sure the ceasefire is a permanent ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz is open.

“And that takes more than just words. It takes a lot of action.”

The Prime Minister earlier told Gulf allies that Iran must not “hold the Strait of Hormuz to ransom” in a regional defence call during a visit to Abu Dhabi on the second day of his trip to the area.

The maritime pinch point has been effectively closed by the threat of Iranian attacks, causing oil and gas prices to soar, pushing up the cost on UK forecourts and raising concerns about the cost of living.

The two-week pause in fighting in US President Donald Trump’s bombing campaign hinges on the strait reopening, but Tehran closed it again on Wednesday night.

Tehran’s demands for the right to collect tolls as a precondition for reopening the channel have drawn criticism, including from Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

She said it was “crucial” that Iran is not allowed to apply tolls in the strait.