British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the UK must prepare for the possibility that the war in the Middle East could continue “for some time,” warning against the false comfort of assuming the conflict will end quickly, CNN reports.
Asked by a parliamentary committee whether the war might last months rather than days or weeks, Starmer replied: “We must plan on the basis that it could continue for some time.”
He emphasized that Britain’s “full focus and energy” is on reducing the escalation of the conflict as quickly as possible.
Since the war began last month, Starmer said he has urged his team not to fall into “the trap of false reassurance,” assuming an early or swift resolution.
Earlier, a spokesperson for Starmer welcomed reports of “productive talks” between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump stated that Washington had held “productive discussions” with Tehran over the weekend, although Iran denied this.
