Starmer to chair Cobra meeting amid confusion over advice to Britons in Israel
The high-level meeting follows the Prime Minister's return from the G7 summit in Canada at which he and other world leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability' but stopped short of calling for a truce between Israel and Iran.
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Powys County Times
31 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Keir Starmer chairs Cobra meeting as Donald Trump says he ‘may' strike Iran
Sir Keir Starmer has chaired an emergency Cobra meeting as Donald Trump considers whether to join Israeli strikes against Iran. The high-level meeting follows the Prime Minister's return from the G7 summit in Canada at which he and other world leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability'. But the US president, who left the summit a day early, told reporters outside the White House on Wednesday that he was considering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. He said: 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Israel and Iran have exchanged fire over the past six days after air strikes which Tel Aviv said were aimed at preventing Tehran developing a nuclear weapon. Iranian officials insist the country's nuclear programme is peaceful, and claim Israel has caused hundreds of civilian casualties. Israeli jets continued to attack Tehran on Tuesday night, but the Iranian response appears to have diminished, with only 10 missiles intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defence system during the night. Mr Trump said Iran had 'got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate', adding it was 'very late to be talking' but 'we may meet'. On Tuesday night, the president had used his Truth Social platform to describe Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as an 'easy target'. He later posted the words 'Unconditional surrender', prompting Mr Khamenei to warn that any American military involvement would result in 'irreparable damage' to the US. Amid questions over potential American involvement in the conflict, Sir Keir convened his senior ministers for a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East. The Foreign Office has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel, but has not advised British nationals to leave the country. The department said the evacuation was temporary and a 'precautionary measure', with staff remaining at the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'Our embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate in Jerusalem remain fully staffed and continue to provide consular services to those who require assistance.' Downing Street would not say whether British nationals should attempt to leave the country. A Number 10 spokesman would only say that the Government's 'key message' was to 'follow the advice of local authorities on staying close to shelter'. Britons have already been advised against all travel to Israel, and those already in the country have been urged to register their presence with the embassy. The Foreign Office has also said land borders with Jordan and Egypt remain open, and consular teams are in position to provide assistance to British nationals who choose to leave Israel by land. The Number 10 spokesman added: 'This is a fast-moving situation. We are keeping all our advice under constant review and the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) continues to plan for a variety of developments, as you would expect.' Sir Keir had earlier insisted that Mr Trump was interested in de-escalation in the Middle East, saying 'nothing' he had heard from the president suggested Washington was poised to get involved.
Straits Times
41 minutes ago
- Straits Times
India is a perpetrator of foreign interference, Canadian intelligence agency says
FILE PHOTO: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands before posing for a photo during the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, in Alberta, Canada, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Amber Bracken/File Photo TORONTO - India is a perpetrator of foreign interference, Canada's intelligence agency said in a report published on Wednesday, just after India's and Canada's prime ministers vowed to strengthen ties at a global summit hosted by Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held what both sides called productive talks on Tuesday at the G7 summit in Alberta and agreed to reinstate top diplomats they had withdrawn last year. Carney drew outrage from some members of Canada's Sikh community when he invited Modi to the G7. Canada-India relations have been tense since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023 accused India's government of involvement in the June 18, 2023, murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. Modi's government has denied involvement in Nijjar's killing and has accused Canada of providing a safe haven for Sikh separatists. The intelligence report noted transnational repression "plays a central role in India's activity in Canada," though it said China poses the greatest counter-intelligence threat to Canada and also named Russia, Iran and Pakistan. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in October they had communicated more than a dozen threats to Sikhs advocating for the creation of a homeland carved out of India. "Indian officials, including their Canada-based proxy agents, engage in a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians," the Canadian Security Intelligence Service report reads. "These activities attempt to steer Canada's positions into alignment with India's interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent homeland that they call Khalistan." The Indian High Commission and the Chinese embassy in Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
India's defence pact with Cyprus is more about expanding a strategic perch in Middle East's volatile backyard
As PM Modi shakes hands in Nicosia, he's not just building bridges to Europe—he's laying tracks to the Middle East. And in this game, small moves make big waves read more India's latest defence pact with Cyprus is making news. India will strengthen its defence ties with Cyprus through collaboration between the two countries' respective defence industries, Prime minister Narendra Modi said on Monday during a state visit to the island nation. Modi's two-day visit to Cyprus, ahead of his trip to Canada for the G7 summit, is the first by an Indian prime minister in over two decades— and it signals something bigger than a European foothold. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India's defence partnership with Cyprus is less about cozying up to Europe and more about expanding a strategic perch in the Middle East's volatile backyard. Cyprus—a tiny Mediterranean island at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East—has been deeply influenced by Russian interests over the past 30 years, becoming a hub for Russian oligarchs and the country's financial sector to launder money and avoid Western sanctions. This island which was once a bustling vacation spot is now in the middle of an international game of hide and seek. By deepening ties—think joint naval drills, counterterrorism pacts, and real-time intelligence-sharing—India is positioning itself to monitor and shape the region's geopolitics. This small island, often overlooked, is a linchpin between Europe, the Middle East and India in various sectors like energy, trade, digital connectivity, given the island nation's geographical location as the nearest European Union country to the Middle East and India. Cyprus is no mere speck. It is a hotspot for geopolitics, sandwiched between the Middle East's never-ending turmoil, Russia's shady influence, and Turkey's aspirations. Because of its advantageous location, the island is a gateway to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East—it is 65 miles from Turkey and 100 miles from Syria. Cyprus becomes an essential hub when you combine it with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a trade and energy route that Modi is heavily betting on. The goal for India, a rising power with aspirations to rule the world, is to gain influence in an area where the global order is shaped by terrorism, gas, and oil. Amid their growing relationship, it also subtly criticizes Turkey, an ally of Pakistan. India's move to strengthen defence ties with Cyprus, announced during Modi's visit on June 15, 2025, is a masterstroke disguised as a diplomatic handshake. The joint declaration with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides outlined plans for more Indian navy port calls, joint maritime training, and a terrorism intelligence-sharing mechanism. This isn't just about naval flags waving in Larnaca. It's about India planting a flag in a region where Russian oligarchs and Middle Eastern financiers thrive in the shadows. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Cyprus has long been a playground for Russia's elite. Oligarchs use its banks to launder billions, with estimates suggesting Russian-linked deposits once hit $30 billion annually. The island's lax regulations and EU status make it a magnet for dirty money, much of it tied to Middle Eastern deals—think oil, arms, and real estate. India, with its growing clout and hunger for intelligence, sees Cyprus as a listening post. By sharing counterterrorism data, Delhi could gain insights into illicit networks fuelling conflicts from Syria to Yemen. Imagine Indian intelligence officers sipping coffee in Nicosia, picking up whispers about Iranian proxies or Russian arms deals. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC, a grand plan to link India to Europe via the Middle East. Cyprus, as the EU's easternmost outpost, is a natural hub for transshipment and logistics. Modi called it a 'catalyst for peace and prosperity,' but let's be real: it's also about securing energy routes and countering China's Belt and Road. Cyprus's natural gas fields, contested by Turkey, add another layer. India, eyeing energy security, could invest in these fields, reducing reliance on volatile Gulf supplies. A 2022 defence cooperation agreement already set the stage for joint exercises; now, India's navy could patrol waters where Turkish drills stir tensions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Turkey angle can't be ignored. Ankara's support for Pakistan, especially after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, has India fuming. Cyprus, locked in a decades-long feud with Turkey over the island's northern third, is a natural ally. When Cyprus condemned Pakistan's cross-border terrorism and vowed to raise it at the EU, India took note. Modi's visit, fresh off Operation Sindoor, was a deliberate signal: India backs Cyprus's sovereignty, a diplomatic middle finger to Turkey. This isn't just about defence—it's about reshaping alliances in a region where Turkey's influence looms large. But Cyprus's gray-zone status as a hub for Russian and Middle Eastern money makes it a double-edged sword. India's intelligence-sharing ambitions could pull it into murky waters, where oligarchs and warlords play. Delhi must tread carefully—aligning with Cyprus risks antagonising Moscow, a key defence partner. Yet, the payoff could be huge: real-time data on terrorist financing, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling, all critical for India's security as it navigates Middle Eastern chaos. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beneath its idyllic Mediterranean charm, Cyprus simmers as one of the world's most volatile geopolitical flashpoints. This tiny island, with its Russian yachts and Middle Eastern cash, is India's backdoor into a volatile region. By cozying up to Cyprus, India gains a front-row seat to the region's secrets, from oligarchs' bank accounts to terrorist networks. India's defence play here isn't about chasing European dreams—it's about staking a claim in the Middle East's high-stakes chess game. As Modi shakes hands in Nicosia, he's not just building bridges to Europe—he's laying tracks to the Middle East. And in this game, small moves make big waves. The writer is a columnist. His articles have appeared in various publications like The Independent, The Globe and Mail, South China Morning Post, The Straits Times, etc. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
