Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Haifa, in northern Israel, on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

While domestic politics continues to flummox Keir Starmer, he has, so far, excelled on the world stage.

He has emerged as a figurehead in Europe in the fight against Vladimir Putin and made sure the UK was the first country to strike a trade deal with the US after Donald Trump unveiled his chaotic tariffs.

But Starmer is now facing his greatest test as an international leader: trying not to get pulled into a febrile war in the Middle East.

When Israel struck Iran last week, supposedly over fears it was building nuclear warheads, Tehran was quick to retaliate.

The US, Israel’s strongest ally, initially seemed to favour de-escalation but Trump soon ramped up his rhetoric.

He called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and claimed the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is “an easy target” should the US decide to kill him.

Asked if he was going to join in with the strikes, Trump said: “I may do it. I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do.  I can tell you this: Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

The US president initially said he would make a decision on attacking Iran in the next fortnight, giving the world some much needed breathing space.

But on Saturday night, Trump confirmed the US had struck three of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Trump warned that Iran’s future held “either peace or tragedy” and that there were many other targets he could hit........

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