Latest news with #CobraMeeting
The Sun
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Keir Starmer to hold emergency Cobra meeting TODAY after US obliterates Iran's nuclear bases
SIR Keir Starmer has called for an urgent Cobra meeting this afternoon after the US strikes on Iran. It comes after the Iranian foreign minister today announced he is to meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin within hours. 1 He warned the West of "unprecedented danger" after the US blitzed three of its nuclear sites. Meanwhile Donald Trump has threatened since even more strikes on the country, and dubbed the operation a "spectacular military success". A Cobra meeting involves a cross-departmental committee that comes together to respond to national emergencies. Its aim is to make fast, effective decisions in a crisis and coordinate the response of the central government. The committee brings together senior government ministers and civil servants, security and intelligence officials, military chiefs and leaders of the emergency services and councils, depending on the nature of the crisis. The Prime Minister usually chairs the meetings, which are held in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms and are most commonly take place in Briefing Room A - leading to them being referred to as Cobra. Cobra meetings are called at times of national crisis, owing to events either at home or abroad. The Prime Minister released a statement this morning in which he called for Iran to "return to the negotiating table". He urged the Tehran to "reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis". But a Cabinet minister has warned the UK faces an increased threat of Iranian attacks. Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has now warned Iran's spying operations in the UK were 'already at a significant level'. 'I think it would be naive to say that wouldn't potentially increase but again, there's a choice here for Iran," he continued. "Do they want to continue being an agent of instability in the region and the wider world? Where has that got them? Where has it got the Iranian people? 'There is a better course of action for Iran to take here and I think they should consider that.' Just last month, cops busted an alleged terror plot targeting Israel's embassy in London by Iranian nationals. And, the UK has already declared Iran as a security threat under new laws that state they must register their activities in the UK or face five years in jail. Mr Reynolds also earlier confirmed the UK wasn't involved in the strikes. He told Sky News: "We support the prevention of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. We had proposed a diplomatic course of action, as other European countries had done. "The Iranians had rejected that. And I know people will be waking up this morning, and they'll be worried. "They'll want to know what this means, and I do want to give them reassurance that whilst the British government, the UK has not been involved in these attacks, we have been making extensive preparations for all eventualities, including how we look after British nationals in the region and how we get them out, and the assets we have in the region to protect British infrastructure, British bases, British personnel if we need to do that. "But from where we are now, what I think we need to do as the President I believe himself has said is, get back around the table. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but we need a diplomatic process." And Britain's military base of Diego Garcia was not used by the US as a staging post for the US military attack on Iran, as reported by The Times. The jets were flown from the US military base in Guam in the Pacific – twice as far from Iran as Diego Garcia. There had been speculation that Diego Garcia would be used by the US, which would have caused a legal, diplomatic and military headache for the UK government as it would have had to give approval to any US attack. This would have dragged the UK directly into the conflict. Government sources said Diego Garcia was not used. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
‘I may do it, I may not': Donald Trump taunts Iran over airstrikes as Starmer holds Cobra meeting
Donald Trump taunted Iran on Wednesday over the extraordinary prospect of US airstrikes on Tehran after the ayatollah rejected demands for unconditional surrender. 'I may do it. I may not do it,' the president said amid a growing divide among his inner circle over whether to join Israeli attacks. 'The next week is going to be very big,' he teased as thousands fled the Iranian capital following the latest aerial bombardment, leaving many shops closed and streets empty. Sir Keir Starmer chaired an emergency Cobra meeting on the Middle East crisis late on Wednesday, two days after he expressed confidence that Trump would not join the unfolding war between Iran and Israel. The Foreign Office has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel, but has not advised British nationals to leave the country. Trump on Tuesday demanded Iran's conditional surrender and issued a chilling warning that US forces knew the whereabouts of Ali Khamenei, the country's 86-year-old religious ruler. In a speech aired on Iranian television – his first appearance since bombing began last Friday – the supreme leader said any US intervention would lead to 'irreparable damage.' Khamenei did not elaborate on what American assets could be targeted. Last week, Iran's foreign minister suggested US military bases, as well as UK and French interests, could be targeted if they supported Israel's bombing campaign. An Iranian diplomat had earlier warned that US intervention would risk 'all-out war'. Israel began striking Iran six days ago in a bid to neutralise what it says is Tehran's bid to create nuclear weapons. US and Israeli intelligence on how close Iran could be to building a nuclear bomb differ, with some American officials suggesting Tehran is years away. But the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said last month that they were 'seriously concerned' about Iran's uranium enrichment programme. Estimates by the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) suggest Iran could enrich hundreds of kilograms of weapons-grade uranium in just three weeks, enough to create nine nuclear weapons. The latest Israeli strikes hit one facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said. It said it had intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran's retaliatory barrages diminish. The IAEA said Israel struck two centrifuge production facilities in and near Tehran. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz also said the military struck the headquarters of Iran's internal security forces on Wednesday, without specifying the agency or location. The strike marks a shift toward targeting Iran's domestic security apparatus, which has long cracked down on dissent and suppressed protests. Israel's air campaign has struck several nuclear and military sites, killing top generals and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded. Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. Some have hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing heavy damage, and air raid sirens have repeatedly forced Israelis to run for shelter. Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on. It has not explained the decline, but Israel has targeted launchers and other infrastructure related to the missiles. Israel on Wednesday eased some of the restrictions that it had imposed on daily life when Iran launched its retaliatory attack, allowing gatherings of up to 30 people and letting workplaces reopen as long as there is a shelter nearby. Schools are closed and many business remain shuttered, but Israel's decision to reverse its ban on gatherings and office work for all but essential employees signals the Israeli military's confidence that its attacks have limited Iran's missile capabilities.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
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. Asked whether the Prime Minister was confident that Mr Trump would not involve US forces in the conflict, a Number 10 spokesman said the UK's position was still that 'we want to de-escalate rather than escalate'.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Starmer calls emergency Cobra meeting amid rising Israel-Iran tensions
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will chair an emergency Cobra meeting on Wednesday afternoon to address the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Families of UK embassy staff have been withdrawn from Israel due to the intensifying conflict, though thousands of British nationals remain stranded. Confusion persists regarding official advice for British citizens in Israel, with Downing Street not explicitly urging them to leave despite available transport to the Jordanian border. US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering deploying American forces to support Israel, having described Iran's supreme leader as an "easy target". The Foreign Office has advised against travel to Israel and has no current plans for repatriation, while British Typhoon fighter jets have been deployed to the region.
The Guardian
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Keir Starmer to chair emergency Cobra meeting to discuss Israel-Iran conflict
Keir Starmer will chair an emergency Cobra meeting on Wednesday afternoon amid concerns the US is considering entering the conflict between Israel and Iran, as the UK continues to urge de-escalation. As the prime minister lands back in Britain after the G7 summit in Canada, he will bring together ministers and senior officials to update the UK's response to the rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East. Downing Street was unwilling to repeat Starmer's comments from Tuesday that he was confident the US would not join Israel's bombing campaign despite US military deployments and mixed messages from Donald Trump. However, the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, standing in for Starmer at prime minister's questions, insisted the UK would continue to back a diplomatic route to resolving the conflict. 'The one thing I will say is we agree with President Trump that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon, but we've been consistent in urging Iran to engage in the diplomatic process and work with the United States, and we continue to support that diplomatic approach,' she told MPs. The Foreign Office has advised British citizens in Israel to stay put and close to shelter, despite the families of embassy staff leaving the country on Tuesday night. No 10 was unable to say why embassy families were told to leave. The Forign Office said family members of British diplomatic staff working at the UK embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate in Jerusalem had been 'temporarily withdrawn as a precautionary measure', although staff at the mission remain. Despite the official advice not to leave, Downing Street flagged that commercial transport services to border crossings were operating regularly, though subject to safety alerts, and were not currently full. 'First and foremost, this is a fast moving situation. We're keeping all our advice under constant review, and the FCDO continues to plan for a variety of developments. As you'd expect, the safety and security of British nationals is our top priority,' a No 10 spokesperson said. 'Our key message to British nationals in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is to follow the advice of local authorities on staying close to shelter.' Downing Street said the government's priority was to de-escalate the conflict, after Trump left the G7 summit a day early to fly back to Washington. 'The prime minister, the foreign secretary, have spoken with partners and counterparts across the region and beyond, including all our allies, to reiterate the need for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy,' the spokesperson said. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'You can expect to see this continue today. Our priority is de-escalation, and that is what ministers will continue to push.' Asked about the prospect of the US joining military action at the G7 on Tuesday, Starmer told reporters: 'There's nothing the president said that suggests that he's about to get involved in this conflict. 'On the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation ... I was sitting right next to President Trump, so I've no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement.' Asked 24 hours later whether he would repeat the prime minister's words, the No 10 spokesman would only say: 'This is an extremely fast moving situation, and we are working with partners to reiterate the need to return to diplomacy.'
