08/04/2026
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08/04/2026
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
LONDON, Apr 8: Keir Starmer is set to visit the Middle East this week following a newly announced ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
Downing Street said the prime minister will meet leaders across Gulf countries to discuss diplomatic efforts aimed at supporting and sustaining the ceasefire. He is expected to return to the UK on Friday.
Starmer welcomed the agreement while travelling on Wednesday, calling it a “moment of relief for the region and the world,” and stressed the need for continued international cooperation.
“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,” he said.
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions after coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran over concerns regarding its nuclear programme. The conflict escalated further as Iran launched retaliatory strikes across Gulf states and the wider Middle East.
Tensions also disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route through which around a fifth of the world’s oil shipments typically pass. Downing Street has repeatedly called for de-escalation and a return to diplomatic channels.