British premier hails his ‘productive’ trip to Gulf

British Keir Starmer has met Qatar’s leadership in Doha during what Downing Street described as a “productive” Gulf tour.

Starmer met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the country's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Qatari capital on Friday.

A Downing Street statement said that Starmer “underlined the UK’s solidarity with Qatar following Iran's indefensible attacks and his gratitude for keeping UK nationals living in the country safe.”

The statement added that the UK-Qatar squadron of fighter jets had “worked well together to defend the region in a time of need,” and that “work must be done” to ensure the ceasefire “turns into a lasting peace.”

“They affirmed their strong support for initiatives to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and for the principle of freedom of navigation,” it said.

The US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, brokered by Pakistan, as a step toward a possible broader agreement to halt the conflict that has left thousands dead and wounded.