G7 leaders say Iran is ‘principal source of instability' in Middle East

Yahoo

5 hours ago

G7 leaders have described Iran as 'the principal source of regional instability and terror' as conflict rages in the Middle East.
The conflict between Israel and Iran has been top of the agenda at the leaders' summit, taking place in Canada.
In a statement agreed at the summit, leaders of the world's major economies, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, said they 'affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself'.
The statement, agreed before Donald Trump left the conference early on Monday evening, also includes a call for a 'ceasefire in Gaza'.
It said: 'We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.
'In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.
'We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians.
'Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.
'We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
'We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.
'We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.'
On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X that Mr Trump would be leaving the summit early, following a dinner with heads of state.
'Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,' she said.
Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Trump's early exit.
Iran said at least 224 people had been killed in the country since strikes began on Friday, while Israeli officials said 24 people had been killed and more than 500 injured.
The back-and-forth between Israel and Iran has raised concerns about all-out war between the rival nations.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump and Sir Keir finalised a US-UK deal that will slash trade barriers on goods from both countries, but leaves the future of tariffs on British steel up in the air.
The Prime Minister said the move marked a 'very important day' for both sides as the US president announced the agreement was 'done' in a joint appearance on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.
The deal will grant British carmakers a reprieve by the end of June as levies drop from 25% to 10%, while the aerospace sector will face no import taxes.
But tariffs for the steel industry, which is of key economic importance to the UK, will stand at 25% for now rather than falling to zero as originally agreed. This is less than the US global rate of 50% for steel and aluminium.
The Prime Minister described the pact as a 'sign of strength' in the transatlantic relationship, while Mr Trump praised Sir Keir as a 'friend' who had done a 'great job' securing the deal that eluded leaders before him.
Following the hastily arranged meeting, the two leaders posed for pictures outside the G7 venue with the signed documents, which the US president dropped before Sir Keir picked them up.
Mr Trump also mistakenly referred to the pact as a 'trade agreement with the European Union'.
The Department for Business and Trade said the two leaders had pledged to 'make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed'.
Asked whether Britain would be shielded from future tariffs, Mr Trump said the UK was protected 'because I like them'.
'The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them. That's their ultimate protection,' he said.
The PM told the US President: 'Donald, thank you very much… A really important agreement. And so this is a very good day for both of our countries, a real sign of strength.'
The terms of the deal were agreed in May, but neither Washington nor London had yet taken the necessary steps to reduce tariffs.