From the Guardian:
It is really important that we focus on de-escalation, because the risks of the conflict escalating are obvious across the region and beyond the region, the impact that this could and probably will have on Gaza, which is a tinderbox, and, of course, the impact on the economy. That is why the G7 has such a focus on de-escalation. That will be an intense discussion for our talks today…this will be a central issue. [1]
Notice the “it is really important” – a nice collocation from the fixed pattern formulaic discourse that modern UK politicians all seem to follow. (The discourse is part unique to politics and part borrowed direct from the corporate world).
What Starmer means by Gaza is a ” tinderbox” which could somehow “explode” as a result of Israel’s attack on Iran, is anybody’s guess. Hamas in Gaza is still fighting but hardly in a position to explode in any way. And the starving and being-massacred civilians are hardly in a position to do anything that might look like bursting into flames, other than, of course, real flames caused by US-Israeli munitions (delivered with UK supported F35s), in response to Israel’s attack on Iran. One really wonders what is going through Starmer’s mind. What is his mental picture of what is happening in Gaza?
As for “de-escalation is our focus”; I suppose this makes them think they sound statesman like. But; what “de-escalation” is to be had? Israel has attacked Iran, in an unholy alliance with Trump. (Trump is using Israel’s attack as a negotiating lever in his bid to negotiate away Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme. Israel, for their part, were only too glad to be given permission to attack Iran and, are no doubt, now hoping to drag the US directly into their attack). The only possible “de-escalation” route is for Iran to signal to the US that they will accept a zero enrichment clause and hope that the US calls off its attack dog. Starmer and Macron calling for “de-escalation” are in effect legitimising Trump’s strategy of using this bombing and assassination campaign as a negotiating lever. It is possible they don’t even understand their role.
Update 17-6-25
Again, borrowed from the Guardian. When asked if he thought that the US would ask the UK for help in attacking Iran, Starmer replied:
I don’t think anything that the president said either here or elsewhere suggests that. The wording of the G7 statement is very clear about de-escalation and de-escalation across the region, and obviously including the situation in Gaza for a ceasefire.
So I think that the statement really speaks for itself in terms of the shared position of everybody who was here at the G7 and that was a statement that was agreed. [2]
Apparently Starmer was also keen to tell the Guardian’s reporter that he, yes, Starmer, was sitting next to Trump at the G7 dinner. Anyway. Trump may not have said anything about bombing Iran – but there are multiple media reports about military aircraft flying across the Atlantic and an aircraft carrier rushing back from the Far East. So. We shall see. Trump is probably still counting on his “negotiating tactic” working and Iran agreeing to drop all enrichment activities. He may also be hoping that Israel’s attacks will force regime change and aa new regime will sign up to that. My sense is that if neither of these things happens the US is very likely to drop a few of their bunker busting bombs on the key nuclear sites. After all; if Israel does not succeed in wiping out the Iran regime and nuclear programme, what you then have is an angry and wounded Iran – with access to uranium enrichment technology and missile technology, and that is rather dangerous. The same logic that led to the Iraq war would apply here – and with, in fact, some actual basis in reality. I would guess that Netanyahu understands all this and is one step ahead of Trump. I.e. Netanyahu knows that once he has turned Iran into a destabilised, badly damaged and angry regime the US will have to come in and mop up.
Notes
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/16/european-leaders-at-g7-trying-to-bring-iran-back-to-negotiating-table
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jun/17/israel-iran-conflict-live-updates-tehran-trump-evacuation-middle-east?page=with:block-68517c2e8f08a82a824fa2c2#block-68517c2e8f08a82a824fa2c2