U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
According to Downing Street, the two leaders discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East and military cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom, including the use of British airbases for regional defence operations. Starmer also expressed condolences over the deaths of several U.S. service members killed during the ongoing crisis.
The call followed a week of sharp criticism from Trump, who accused the British government of failing to support the U.S. campaign against Iran strongly enough. The U.S. president said he was “not happy with the UK” and suggested Britain had tried to join the conflict only after Washington had already secured victory.
Trump also criticised Starmer personally, saying the British leader was “no Winston Churchill”, as tensions between the two allies became increasingly public.
The dispute began after Britain declined to take part in the initial U.S.-led strikes on Iranian targets. The British government said any decision to join military action must have a clear legal basis and a defined strategy.
Despite refusing to participate in the wider offensive campaign, Westminster later approved the limited use of British airbases for defensive operations supporting allied forces in the region. British fighter jets have also been deployed to intercept Iranian missiles and drones targeting allied countries.
Speaking on Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the prime minister’s approach, saying Starmer was right to prioritise Britain’s interests.
She said that while the United States remains one of the UK’s closest allies, the two countries will not necessarily agree on every foreign policy decision. Cooper added that Britain would continue providing defensive support when Iranian attacks threaten partner countries where British citizens are living.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy...
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s effor...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
China’s GJ-21 carrier-based stealth reconnaissance and strike drone has completed its first take-off and landing on board the Sichuan, the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, state media reported on 30 October.
A powerful El Niño is driving extreme weather worldwide, leaving millions facing drought, wildfires and destructive storms as governments scramble to respond to the growing crisis.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment