Lammy says he told Iran it would be a mistake to blockade Strait of Hormuz
The Foreign Secretary said it would be a 'catastrophic mistake' for Tehran to fire at US bases in the region, after an American attack on Iran's nuclear programme over the weekend.
Questions are being asked about whether the shipping channel or oil exports through it could be blocked amid the tensions.
Important discussion with @SecRubio this evening on the situation in the Middle East.
We will continue to work with our allies to protect our people, secure regional stability and drive forward a diplomatic solution.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 22, 2025
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday morning, Mr Lammy said he had been 'crystal clear' that 'it would be a huge, catastrophic mistake to fire at US bases in the region at this time. We have forces in the region at this time.
'It would be a catastrophic mistake. It would be a mistake to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.'
He said he thinks his counterpart 'gets that and understands that'.
The UK has been pressing for Iran to engage in negotiations and diplomacy over the issues, and Mr Lammy told the same programme: 'Let's take the diplomatic off-ramp. Let's get serious and calm this thing down.'
Mr Lammy is expected to address MPs in the Commons about the situation on Monday.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned on Sunday that there is a risk of the crisis escalating beyond the Middle East, telling reporters 'that's a risk to the region. It's a risk beyond the region, and that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme.'
Sir Keir spoke to US President Donald Trump on Sunday, and Downing Street said the leaders agreed Tehran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and called for Iran to return to negotiations.
The conversation came after the air raid by American B-2 stealth bombers and a salvo of submarine-launched missiles hit Iran's nuclear facilities.
'They discussed the actions taken by the United States last night to reduce the threat and agreed that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,' Downing Street said.
'They discussed the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting settlement.'
pic.twitter.com/wu9mMkxtUg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2025
Mr Lammy suggested on Monday that the action by Mr Trump 'may well have set back Iran several years'.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the US President's rhetoric was 'strong' but that strikes had been 'targeted' to 'deal with Iran's nuclear capability'.
The Foreign Secretary later added: 'Donald Trump made a decision to act to degrade that capability. It may well have set back Iran by several years. That was a decision that he took.'
Mr Lammy has also spoken to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts 'to stress the need for de-escalation'.
'I urged a diplomatic, negotiated solution to end this crisis,' he said over the weekend.
Overnight, Mr Trump called the future of the Iranian regime into question, posting on his TruthSocial platform: 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???'
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