LONDON ( WNAM MONITORING ): The British foreign secretary warned that the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran marks “a moment of grave danger for the region” and cautioned that “no military action can put an end to Iran’s capabilities.”
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, David Lammy told MPs that Israel had launched “extensive strikes” on Iranian “targets, including military sites, nuclear sites, key commanders, and nuclear scientists.”
Iran, in turn, had responded with ballistic missile fire, triggering deep concern in Westminster about the potential for wider conflict.
He confirmed that the UK was not involved in Israel’s military strikes.
Lammy stressed that Britain remained a staunch ally of Israel but cautioned that “no military action can put an end to Iran’s capabilities.”
He said: “It should come as no surprise that Israel considers the Iranian nuclear program an existential threat,” citing comments from Iran’s leadership about Israel’s destruction.
Lammy said the government’s immediate priority is “the welfare of British nationals” and confirmed that the UK has “stood up a crisis team in London and the region.”
UK nationals in the area are now being asked to register with the Foreign Office to receive updates and assistance with leaving the country.
Rapid deployment teams are being sent to Egypt and Jordan to assist those trying to exit Israel by road, amid ongoing airspace closures.
“We have always supported Israeli security. That is why Britain has sought to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon through extensive diplomacy,” he told MPs. “We agree with President Trump when he says that negotiations are necessary and must lead to a deal.”
He added: “That has long been the view of successive governments,” noting that the UK, France, and Germany had held five rounds of talks with Tehran in 2025 alone.
Domestically, Lammy said 20 Iranian-linked plots on British soil had been foiled since 2022 and outlined measures aimed at curbing Tehran’s influence in the UK. But he warned that “a widening war would have grave and unpredictable consequences, including for our partners in Jordan and the Gulf.”
Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, growing instability in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, and the persistent Houthi threat in the Red Sea, the foreign secretary said further escalation “is not in Britain’s interest.”
“Iran is a main oil producer, and a vast amount of the world’s trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “An escalating conflict poses real risk for the global economy.”
Concluding his remarks, Lammy called on both sides to “step back, show restraint, and not get pulled ever deeper into a catastrophic conflict whose consequences nobody can control.”
He warned the Commons that the UK expects “more strikes in the days to come,” reaffirming: “The United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes against Iran. This is a military action conducted by Israel.”
