Starmer: No evidence UK is being targeted by Iran amid war

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday there is "no assessment" that Britain is being targeted by Iran, downplaying recent Israeli claims about Tehran's missile capabilities. Speaking to broadcasters, Starmer said the government continually reviews potential threats but current intelligence does not indicate the UK is at risk.

Missile threat dismissed

Starmer's remarks came after the Israeli army claimed Saturday that Iran now has "missiles that can reach London, Paris, or Berlin"—a distance of about 2,700 miles to the UK capital. The claim followed reports that Iran had unsuccessfully fired ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia US-UK military base, located approximately 2,350 miles from Iran's southern coast. Asked whether Britain was within range, Starmer said the government carries out assessments "all the time in order to keep us safe, and there's no assessment that we're being targeted in that way at all."

Cobra meeting convened

The prime minister confirmed an emergency Cobra meeting would take place to address the broader impact of the conflict, particularly on household finances. Cobra meetings bring together senior ministers and officials to coordinate responses to major crises. Starmer said "most people" are concerned about both the conflict itself and its potential effect on their families, adding: "Today we're looking at the economic impact, and I am asking for every lever that's available to the government to deal with the cost of living to be discussed at Cobra."

De-escalation urged

Starmer emphasized the need to de-escalate Middle East tensions, stressing it is important to defend British interests and lives "without getting dragged into the war." The conflict, which began Feb. 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed more than 1,340 people including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.