LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, asking him to refrain from attacking Israel and saying that war was not in anyone’s interest, the prime minister’s office said.
Starmer spoke with Pezeshkian as part of de-escalation efforts to ease tensions in the Middle East. Recent killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut have drawn threats of retaliation against Israel.
According to Sky News, which first reported the story, the phone call lasted for 30 minutes and took place after the British premier spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden and other European allies earlier on Monday.
Starmer told Pezeshkian he was deeply concerned by the situation in the Middle East and called on all parties to de-escalate to avoid further regional confrontation.
“There was a serious risk of miscalculation and now was the time for calm and careful consideration,” 10 Downing Street cited Starmer as saying, adding he underlined his commitment to an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The focus should be on diplomatic negotiations, Starmer said.
The leaders agreed that a constructive dialogue between the two nations was in both countries’ interests.
But Starmer told Pezeshkian that a dialogue between the two could only be furthered if Iran ceased its “destabilising actions”, including threats against individuals in Britain and if it stopped aiding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
(Reporting by Catarina Demony and Alistair Smout; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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