Starmer arrives in Saudi Arabia after US-Iran ceasefire deal

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Saudi Arabia as he visits Gulf allies after the US and Iran agreed on a two-week ceasefire. The prime minister is expected to "discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire", according to No 10. He will return to the UK on Friday.

The ceasefire comes after Donald Trump threatened "a whole civilisation will die" if Iran did not agree to end the war and unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Sir Keir said: "I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world." He added: "Together with our partners, we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz." Sir Keir is also expected to meet UK military personnel in the region as part of his Gulf trip, which was planned before the ceasefire announcement. Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly told BBC Breakfast the ceasefire is an "opportunity for Iran to make some serious choices" about how it behaves at home and abroad.

Last week the UK hosted a virtual summit in which representatives from more than 40 countries began work to assemble a coalition capable of ensuring security in the Strait after the fighting has stopped. Iran and the US agreed to the conditional ceasefire on Tuesday, just over an hour before the expiry of the deadline Trump had set for Iran to make a deal. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the ceasefire was "subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz". The war began in February, when the US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran over concerns Tehran was accelerating efforts towards building a nuclear weapon.