Iran can avert US strike, Lammy believes
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has emerged from a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff convinced that President Trump 'genuinely wants a deal' with Iran to render US bombing unnecessary.
During an hour-long meeting in the Whitehouse with Rubio and Witkoff, Lammy and British ambassador Lord Mandelson were reassured that Keir Starmer's hopes that the conflict between Israel and Iran can be de-escalated are not wishful thinking, sources tell me.
However, Witkoff and Rubio shared their scepticism with their UK counterparts that the Iranian regime, led by Ali Khamenei, has the cohesion or willingness to grasp the peace offer being made by the Whitehouse - which would require Iran to provably and permanently abandon all development of nuclear weapons.
An important staging post and test will come tomorrow in Geneva, when European foreign ministers, including Lammy, will meet Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.
After that, any serious peace talks would require Witkoff to meet Iranian negotiators, but the Iranians have said they will not negotiate while Israel continues to bomb their country.
The UK government believes there are two weeks for a route to be found through this impasse.
The UK asked President Trump to delay any military action for a fortnight, and the Whitehouse today confirmed the president would decide whether to join Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and military bases within the next 14 days.
A source told me: 'Whilst they (Rubio and Witkoff) are currently pessimistic about the diplomatic pathway, they are very interested in hearing what the foreign secretary will have to say tomorrow, having met the Iranian foreign minister with European colleagues.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Girl, 7, dies in Iran missile strike while in Israel for cancer treatment
The family of seven-year-old Nastya Buryk were staying in Bat Yam in Israel while she underwent cancer treatment when their appartment block was hit by a missile A seven-year-old girl has tragically died this week after getting caught up in the Iran missile strike. Israel has been launching missiles at Iran in an attempt to cripple its nuclear capabilities since last Friday, and US President Donald Trump was thinking about getting involved. But, Trump dramatically stepped back from the brink last night as Britain prepared to take part in peace talks with Iran. Yesterday Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people, around 15km away a missile also struck Bat Yam where the family of a young girl were staying while she underwent treatment. Nastya Buryk, from Odesa in Ukraine, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer on August 29, 2022 and she underwent her first course of chemotherapy in Ukraine. Nastya's condition improved, but then she suffered a relapse. She needed more specialist treatment, so with some help from charitable donations, but largely self-funded, her family decided to try and seek treatment in Isal in December 2022. In Israel, Nastya underwent a bone marrow transplant. Sadly, the procedure did not work, and the leukaemia returned. But a new treatment to encourage the failed bone marrow transplant to work offered Nastya's family hope again. Earlier this year Nastya's mother Maria decided to give the new treatment a chance. Nastya's grandmother Olena, 60, flew out to Israel to lend her support. She brought with her two of Nastya's cousins, Konstantin and Ilya, aged nine and seven, who enrolled in local infant schools, reports MailOnline. Should the UK get involved in the Iran-Israel conflict? Take our poll below, and if you can't see it - click here But last week tragedy struck when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, with the aim of destroying its nuclear and ballistic missile threat. One week on there continus to be intensifying conflict between Iran and Israel,as both nations continue to exchange fire in what has become the region's most volatile standoff in years. Last night, Iran boasted that all its nuclear material had been moved to 'a safe place' before Israeli missiles struck its nuclear sites. Iranian commander Mohsen Rezaei said: "'Israel hit Natanz, Isfahan, Khandab, and Arak, but they were already evacuated. All the materials have been moved to a safe place." Iran retaliated with volleys of missiles and drones at Israel. On the first day of the barrage, June 13, one of those missiles struck the apartment block in the coastal city of Bat Yam where Nastya's family had been staying. Nastya, her mother, grandmother and the two boys, were all tragically killed in the blast. Only Nastya's father Artem, who is fighting on the front line in Kyiv, remains alive.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Donald Trump delays decision on Iran strikes as Keir Starmer calls for restraint
Donald Trump has delayed a decision on whether to join Israeli attacks on Iran as Sir Keir Starmer continues to urge restraint in the Middle East. The US president said he was still hopeful of reaching a negotiated solution with Tehran and would decide on military action within two weeks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday. Quoting a message from the president, Ms Leavitt said: 'Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision on whether or not to go within the next two weeks.' On Wednesday, Mr Trump said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' On Thursday, the Prime Minister had urged him to step back from military action, saying there was a 'real risk of escalation'. Sir Keir said there had been 'several rounds of discussions with the US' and 'that, to me, is the way to resolve this issue'. Foreign Secretary David Lammy took the UK's plea for de-escalation to Washington, where he was expected to meet Mr Trump's top diplomat Marco Rubio on Thursday evening. Mr Lammy's meeting comes amid speculation that US involvement could require using the UK-controlled Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Sir Keir has declined to comment on advice from Lord Hermer, but said the 'principle, the driving intent', was 'de-escalation'. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any US military action. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would 'in principle' support the US using Diego Garcia to strike Iran, while her shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said the party would support UK involvement if it was deemed necessary. But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on the Government to publish Lord Hermer's advice, saying: 'The last thing we need is for the UK to be dragged into another illegal war in the Middle East by the US.' Meanwhile, Israel and Iran continued to exchange fire, with the Israeli defence minister directly threatening the Iranian supreme leader after an attack damaged a major hospital in Tel Aviv. Israel Katz said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'should not continue to exist' if the military was to 'achieve all of its goals'. Israel also continued to attack Iran, striking the country's Arak heavy water reactor, part of Tehran's nuclear programme. Iran has insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful, but it is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% and far above the levels required for power stations. Amid the conflict, 22,000 tourists are seeking evacuation flights from Israel, according to the country's tourism ministry. The ministry's director-general, Danny Shachar, said the Israeli government was working to co-ordinate flights as part of its 'safe return' programme, originally intended for Israelis returning to the country from elsewhere. The UK Government has not said how many British nationals are in Israel, but has urged those in the country to register their presence with the embassy. Although the Foreign Office advises against all travel to Israel and has evacuated the family members of embassy staff, it has not advised Britons to leave the country.
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Lammy to meet Iranian foreign minister as Trump steps back from military action
The Foreign Secretary is set to meet Abbas Araghchi alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before US President Donald Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Mr Trump said there was still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Friday's meeting with the so-called E3 countries follows Mr Lammy's visit to Washington, where he met US secretary of state Marco Rubio in the White House on Thursday evening to discuss 'how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict'. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.' The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. Meeting with @SecRubio and @SteveWitkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two… — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 19, 2025 Adding that a 'window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution', Mr Lammy said: 'Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one.' Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had urged the US to step back from military action, saying there was a 'real risk of escalation'. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation that US involvement could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Meanwhile, two Labour backbenchers pushed for a 'fresh, tough approach' to Tehran. Jon Pearce and Mike Tapp, chairman and vice-chairman respectively of Labour Friends of Israel, said the UK urgently needed 'a multifaceted diplomatic, economic and national security plan to guard against the Iranian threat and force the regime to change course'. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the pair called for tighter sanctions on Iran, the proscription of the country's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a 'comprehensive diplomatic solution' that 'eliminates once and for all' Iran's nuclear threat.
