Israel-Iran live: Netanyahu says Israel has 'full control of the skies' as more strikes reported in Tehran
Iran and Israel have exchanged further strikes, with Iranian rockets killing at least eight in Israel and explosions reported in Tehran. Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has "full control" of the skies over the Iranian capital. Follow the latest here and listen to Trump 100 as you scroll.
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The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why does Britain have a role in the Israel-Iran conflict?
Britain has ordered RAF aircraft into the Middle East 'for contingency support across the region'. At the G7 summit, Keir Starmer also stressed that 'the constant message is de-escalate' and said he will bring whatever influence he can to encourage the entire group, and crucially the United States, to adopt such a stance. In recent weeks, notably at the United Nations, the UK has also taken a more critical attitude towards Israel's actions, especially over the conduct of the war in Gaza, while continuing to state that Israel has a right to defend itself. How much influence Britain still has on events in the region, however, is debatable… What does Keir Starmer want? He is conflicted. Sir Keir certainly doesn't want to see tensions in the region escalate, with all that implies for even more geopolitical instability and the spread of the current conflicts, both in the Middle East and in Ukraine, spreading further. Like the other G7 leaders, he will also be conscious that Taiwan remains highly vulnerable to an attack by China, which could take opportunistic advantage of the chaos to reunify the Chinese nation – a top priority for Beijing. There's also the ever-present internal instability in Syria and Iraq, in Yemen and Iran itself, and, less likely, Saudi Arabia. Economically as well as geopolitically, there's a lot at stake for a medium-sized open European economy dependent on the free passage of marine cargo through the Strait of Hormuz and on to the Suez Canal. Can Britain act unilaterally? Not really. UK arms exports to Israel are minimal, and to Iran, non-existent. The government has ruled out an embargo on spare parts for Israeli air force fighter jets. The cancellation of free trade talks with Israel was more symbolic than anything, and the same goes for the Israeli individuals sanctioned by the British government. Does Britain matter? To a surprising degree. Long past its imperial prime, the legacy of that era lives on in the minds of Israeli and Iranian leaders. Britain, in other words, looms larger in their consciousness than it has any right to, for mostly purely historical reasons. Why does Britain matter to Israel? Because it was the last imperial power in the former Palestine Territory, taken over from the Ottoman Empire after the First World War, and under British administration granted as a mandate from the League of Nations, then the United Nations. The proto-Israelis fought a war of independence against the British until they hurriedly withdrew and the UN partitioned it terribly. Only a few weeks ago, the Israeli foreign ministry made scornful reference to this background when it rejected British criticism of its government: 'The British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago. External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in the struggle for its existence and security against enemies seeking its destruction.' It's also fair to say that events in the region have also affected British politics, notably in the internal affairs of the Labour Party, and the election of five independent MPs elected last July on a 'pro-Gaza' manifesto. Why does Britain matter to Iran? Also, for mainly historical reasons. For decades, certainly since 'Persia' emerged as a buffer between the Russian Empire and the Indian Ocean and the British Empire, and when oil became of strategic importance, the UK has sought to interfere in Iranian affairs. A key moment came when the American CIA and the British organised a coup against the then-prime minister of Iran in 1953, to protect Western oil interests with the help of the pro-Western Shah. However, there had been almost constant British military and political intervention for decades before. When the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shah in 1979, America was called 'the Great Satan' and the UK 'the Little Satan', which denoted status for the British, at best. Naval skirmishes with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the imprisonment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and long-running disputes over money kept by the British after an aborted arms deal further poisoned relations in recent times. Where are the British popular? The Gulf kingdoms: close royal links, their taste for life in London, and the lingering legacy of Lawrence of Arabia have helped to foster a degree of warmth. And the future? Memories tend to run back a long way in the Middle East. Given that the British have had some sort of a colonial role in Cyprus, Egypt (especially in the Suez crisis), Sudan, Palestine/Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Aden/Yemen, Iran and Afghanistan, sometimes reprised in more recent times, and not always recalled fondly, the UK will be a prisoner of its past just as much as any nation in the region for a long time to come.
STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Starmer and Trump to hold ‘one-on-one' talks at G7 in push to wrap up trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will meet Donald Trump for 'one-on-one' talks at a major global summit in a push to get the US-UK trade deal over the finish line. The Prime Minister said he expected the economic pact to be completed 'very soon' ahead of a meeting with the US President at the G7 conference in Canada. Britain's long-coveted free trade deal with Washington was agreed upon last month but is yet to be implemented, with both sides yet to take the necessary steps to reduce tariffs. Asked whether he would be able to finalise the deal as he crosses paths with Trump at the international leaders' summit in Kananaskis, Starmer said: 'I'm very pleased that we made that trade deal, and we're in the final stages now of implementation, and I expect that to be completed very soon.' PA Media The deal with the US is said to be in the 'final stages' of implementation (Niall Carson/PA). Amid speculation that the two leaders will carve out time for a bilateral meeting between G7 plenary sessions, Starmer said: 'I'll be having a one-on-one with him. 'I think I'm seeing him on a number of occasions today because we're in all of the sessions together, so I'll be having a lot of conversations with President Trump.' He added: 'We will be talking about our trade deal… because that really matters for the vital sectors that are safeguarded under our deal, and we've got to implement that.' The Prime Minister is walking a diplomatic tightrope as he seeks to strengthen ties with Canada, the G7 host nation, while keeping the US president, who has repeatedly threatened to annex the country, on side. On Sunday, Downing Street confirmed efforts to revive stalled trade negotiations between London and Ottawa after a bilateral meeting between Starmer and Mark Carney. In warm words at the top of the talks, the UK leader challenged Trump's call for Canada to become a '51st state', speaking of the importance of Britain's relationship with the country as 'independent, democratic sovereign countries'. In recent months, the UK has held a series of engagements aimed at securing a reduction in the tariffs Trump imposed on Britain and the rest of the world on April 2. PA Media Starmer exchanged warm words with Mark Carney at the top of bilateral meetings on Sunday (Suzanne Plunkett/PA). Along with 10% tariffs on all British goods, the president imposed 25% levies on cars and steel. He later increased the tariff on steel to 50%, but gave the UK a reprieve, keeping its rate at 25% until at least July 9. Under the broad terms of last month's agreement, the US will implement quotas that will effectively eliminate the tariff on British steel and reduce the tariff on UK vehicles to 10%. The White House has also voiced concerns about plans to build a Chinese embassy near London's financial centres, with reports suggesting the issue has been raised in trade talks. The redevelopment proposals for the former site of the Royal Mint were called in last year, and ministers will now have the final say on whether the project goes ahead. On his way to the G7, Starmer was asked by reporters whether he was confident the matter would not undermine efforts to complete the trade deal, and whether US objections would be taken into consideration in the Government's decision-making. He said: 'We will act in our own national interest at all times on any issue including in relation to the embassy. 'We will carefully balance what is in our national interest in any decision that we take.' PA Media Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 summit leaders' in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada (Suzanne Plunkett/PA). Starmer faces a busy week of diplomacy as leaders from the world's major economies descend on a luxury mountain lodge in the Rockies amid spiralling conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. As well as heads of government from Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected to attend the conference. The Prime Minister told reporters he had a 'good relationship' with the US president, which is 'important' at a time of heightened global instability. 'I've been saying, for probably the best part of six months now, we're in a new era of defence and security, a new era for trade and the economy,' he said. 'And I think it's really important for Britain to play a leading part in that, and that's what I'll be doing at the G7, talking to all of our partners in a constructive way. 'And I'm very pleased that I have developed good relations with all the G7 leaders.' He also warned that G7 allies would discuss imposing further sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin continues to resist calls for an unconditional ceasefire. 'My long-standing view is, we need to get Russia to the table for an unconditional ceasefire,' he said. 'We do need to be clear about we need to get to the table and that if that doesn't happen, sanctions will undoubtedly be part of the discussion at the G7.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Trump refuses to sign G7 statement amid split over Iran
Donald Trump torpedoed a joint G7 statement on the Israel-Iran conflict, according to senior US officials, as world leaders met in Canada on Monday. The agenda for the long-planned summit has been hastily updated to reflect cross-border barrages fired by Iran and Israel and concerns about a wider war. But signs of splits between Mr Trump and other leaders emerged rapidly on Monday morning. The Telegraph learnt that a draft document was circulated that called for both sides to protect civilians and for tight monitoring of Iran's nuclear facilities. That was unacceptable to Mr Trump, who is demanding that Iran is not allowed any uranium enrichment activity and who has been one of the most outspoken of Israel's supporters. 'I can confirm that he did not sign on to the statement,' said a senior US official. Organisers have gone out of their way to set an agenda and schedule that would reduce the chances of Mr Trump, a famously unpredictable leader, from going rogue. Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, who is hosting the event, is expected to issue a chairman's statement rather than the usual joint communiqué in order to reduce the threat of splits. Yet Mr Trump appeared to have upset even those limited plans before the first session had even started. As well as refusing to sign on to the Israel-Iran statement, Mr Trump said it had been a mistake to expel Russia in 2014 when Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea. 'I would say that that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in,' he said, claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin was 'very insulted'. His words will have alarmed European leaders in particular who hope he will sign off on a new, tougher package of sanctions on Russia during the summit. Mr Trump also floated the idea that China should be invited to join the G7, saying it was 'not a bad idea'. But the Prime Minister's official spokesman said that Sir Keir was 'happy with the make-up' of the current G7. Downing Street played down talk of splits over the Israel-Iran statement on the opening day of the summit, noting there is still time to find wording acceptable to all the leaders. Sir Keir Starmer said the G7 leaders shared a 'consensus for de-escalation'. The UK has also moved to indicate its disapproval at calls for regime change in Iran – something for which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is publicly calling. Asked if Sir Keir supported regime change in Iran, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Significant de-stabilisation of the region is in nobody's interest'. For its part, the White House made clear that the president's objective was to prevent Iran getting nuclear weapons. 'Under the strong leadership of President Trump, the United States is back to leading the effort to restore peace around the world,' said a White House official. 'President Trump will continue to work towards ensuring Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.' Israel launched strikes against Iran on Friday, saying Tehran was on the brink of building a nuclear bomb. Since then, Iran and Israel have traded huge salvos, killing and wounding civilians and raising the spectre of a broader regional war. Mr Trump arrived in Canada on Sunday evening ahead of two days of talks. He has repeatedly said that Iran should return to the negotiating table in order to forge a deal that would see it give up its nuclear ambitions. Ahead of a meeting with Mr Carney, he confirmed reports that Iran was using backchannels to ask for talks, saying he had given Iran two months to reach a deal. 'They had 60 days, and on the 61st day, I said, we don't have a deal. They have to make a deal, he said. 'And it's painful for both parties, but I'd say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk.'
