Lammy set for further talks with counterparts as Iran and Israel exchange fire
It comes after conversations with representatives from Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia as well as European foreign ministers on Friday.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media said Tehran has warned the US, the UK and France not to help Israel stop Iran's strikes, according to reports.
Iran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel overnight after a series of Israeli attacks on the heart of Tehran's nuclear programme and armed forces.
Tehran's UN ambassador said 78 people had been killed and more than 320 wounded in the attacks, while Tehran's response was said to have killed at least three and wounded dozens.
Speaking to broadcasters on Friday evening, Mr Lammy said: 'I spoke to my Iranian counterpart today to urge restraint at this time and calm. I recognise that this is a moment of grave peril in the Middle East.'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump called for 'diplomacy and dialogue' in a call on Friday, amid a diplomatic flurry from western nations to try to calm the conflict.
Sir Keir Starmer with Donald Trump (Carl Court/PA)
Sir Keir had earlier urged his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate and work towards a 'diplomatic resolution'.
A Cobra meeting of high-level ministers was convened on Friday afternoon to discuss the situation. The same is not expected on Saturday but Whitehall officials were expected to be meeting.
The conflict was ignited by early morning Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear bases on Friday.
Israel said the barrage was necessary before Iran got any closer to building a nuclear weapon, although experts and the US government have assessed that Tehran was not actively working on such a weapon.
Iran retaliated with waves of drones and ballistic missiles, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Sir Keir is set for discussions with other world leaders at the G7 summit in Canada next week.
Tensions between Israel, the US and Iran have escalated in recent weeks, amid negotiations over the Iranian nuclear deal, which is aimed at preventing the country from developing nuclear weapons.
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The Herald Scotland
37 minutes ago
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The National
38 minutes ago
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
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The FBI, which is offering a $50,000 reward for Boelter, has released new images of a masked man with a flashlight as part of its search for the suspect. The new pictures display an individual wearing what seems to be a rubber or silicone disguise resembling a white man, outfitted in gear similar to that worn by police officers. The guise featured in the photos divulged by the FBI also bears a resemblance to a mask sported by Ryan Gosling in the 2011 movie "Drive." These photos were released as part of an appeal to trace Boelter, 57, who now finds his name on the FBI's "Most Wanted" register. The latest political shooting in a string of 'evil' attacks Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican, called the attack 'evil' and said she was 'heartbroken beyond words' by the killings. The shootings are the latest in a series of attacks against lawmakers across parties. In April a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania Governor, Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The suspect said he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents. In July 2024, Trump was grazed on the ear by one of a hail of bullets that killed a Trump supporter. Two months later a man with a rifle was discovered near the president's Florida golf course and arrested. Other incidents include a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in their San Francisco home and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and start a civil war.
