Keir Starmer update as PM issues warning ahead of crisis meeting
The PM will chair a meeting of Cobra, which holds sessions over matters of national emergency or major disruption
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 19: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain (not pictured) ahead of bilateral talks at 10 Downing Street on June 19, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt-)
(Image: 2025 WPA Pool/Getty )
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will chair a Cobra meeting on Sunday afternoon following the US strikes on Iran. Such meetings are held for matters of national emergency or major disruption, according to the Institute for Government.
The PM said there is a 'risk of escalation' following the US strikes against Iran, both in the Middle East and 'beyond the region'. He called for a return to diplomacy.
It comes hours after Donald Trump, US President, announced the US had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran using B-2 stealth bombers. The UK Prime Minister said earlier today that Iran must return to the negotiating table after the strikes.
There was no British involvement in the US action but the Government was informed in advance of the strikes, which involved B-2 stealth bombers and submarine-launched missiles.
Iran has since said it never left talks and criticised USA for its 'dangerous' escalation. Speaking this morning, Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Iran's nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat."
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He did not say whether he supported the US action. This morning, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds admitted the UK could now face a heightened risk of terrorism in the wake of the US action.
He would not say the UK supported the military action nor whether he believed the US strikes were legal. Asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg if the US action was a good thing, he said: 'The outcome. It isn't the means by which anyone in the British Government would have wanted to see this occur.'
Pushed on whether the US strike was legal, he said: 'It is where we are today.'
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COBRA - or COBR - meetings are held to discuss serious and urgent matters. The Institute for Government's website says: "COBR's purpose is high-level co-ordination and decision making in the event of major or catastrophic emergencies, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks and major industrial accidents or disruption. Depending on the emergency, officials and agencies most closely involved will already be handling many of the immediate decisions – for example, in a terrorist attack the emergency services and security services will already be responding, while in the event of floods or other natural disaster the Environment Agency, local authorities and emergency services will be coordinating immediate action."
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