{"id":153819,"date":"2025-06-18T13:08:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T13:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/israel-iran-live-starmer-calls-emergency-cobra-meeting-as-iranian-leader-hits-back-at-trump-sky-news\/"},"modified":"2025-06-18T13:08:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T13:08:56","slug":"israel-iran-live-starmer-calls-emergency-cobra-meeting-as-iranian-leader-hits-back-at-trump-sky-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/israel-iran-live-starmer-calls-emergency-cobra-meeting-as-iranian-leader-hits-back-at-trump-sky-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel-Iran live: Starmer calls emergency COBRA meeting – as Iranian leader hits back at Trump – Sky News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iran’s supreme leader has hit back at Donald Trump’s “ridiculous” threats, as the US president reportedly considers a possible strike. Keir Starmer has called an emergency COBRA meeting as the conflict escalates. Listen to the latest episode of The World as you scroll.
Wednesday 18 June 2025 14:05, UK
It’s likely Sir Keir Starmer’s government won’t wade into the Middle East in defence of Israel, according to our experts.
Speaking in our live Q&A earlier this afternoon, our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn<\/a><\/b> said there were some roles Britain could hypothetically play.
Britain could help plug the gaps in Israel’s dwindling arsenal by supplying air defence projectiles – with reports emerging today that Israel was burning through its supplies of Arrow interceptors.
But Waghorn said: “I think Britain’s got to think very carefully about this. 
“We have sent various RAF assets to the region and there’s a possibility that they get involved in trying to protect Israel from more missile attacks.”
Our military analyst Michael Clarke<\/a><\/b> points out that defence secretary John Healey suggested this at a defence conference this week.
“I thought it was rather curious,” said Clarke.
Both described any British involvement as “politically hard to imagine”.
Waghorn said: “I think there’s a real queasiness about that in the British government, and there’s a lot of concern, I think, among Labour MPs as to what Israel’s done, why it’s done it so pre-emptively and has it provided any evidence.
“I think Britain is like what we’re saying about China and Russia and everyone else – stay out of it.”
Catch up on their insight from our Q&A below…<\/b>
Tehran is under attack again, according to Israel’s military.
It said it was striking military targets in the Iranian capital.
Sky News understands Sir Keir Starmer will chair a COBRA meeting this afternoon, following the situation in the Middle East.
The UK prime minister has landed back in London, after attending the G7 summit in Canada. 
COBRA – which stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A – is often called in times of emergency, such as civil unrest or flooding.
Earlier, we reported the families of diplomats in Israel had been withdrawn from the region (see our 10.07 post).
Concerns are also growing that Donald Trump may involve the US in action against Tehran.
Watch: Starmer tells Sky he is ‘worried’ about the escalation<\/i><\/b>
Here are some of the latest pictures from Israel.
An Iranian missile attack has levelled homes in Rishon LeZion, in central Israel.
Crowds gathered outside to look at the damage.
By Ivor Bennett<\/a>, Moscow correspondent<\/b>
Russia is getting nervous about Donald Trump\u2019s trigger finger, and it shows.
The comments from Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov – warning the US against joining Israel\u2019s military campaign – betray Moscow’s growing unease that it could be about to lose its closest Middle Eastern ally.
Russia has strong ties with Iran, which have deepened since the Kremlin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.
These were formalised in a strategic partnership pact that the two countries signed at the start of the year.
So at first, Russia seemed to view its ally’s conflict with Israel as an opportunity to gain leverage. 
The Kremlin was quick to offer its services as a potential mediator. 
If Vladimir Putin could persuade Tehran to back down and return to nuclear talks with Washington, he’d potentially have a favour to cash in with the White House over its military support for Ukraine.
But the offers to mediate fell on deaf ears. 
A ‘critical’ situation for the Kremlin<\/b>
And with Donald Trump threatening to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Moscow has switched to crisis mode – fearful of losing its second key regional ally in six months, after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
So, as well as Ryabkov, other senior figures have taken to the airwaves.
Russia\u2019s spy chief Sergei Naryshkin called the situation “critical”. 
And according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the world is “millimetres away from catastrophe” due to Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Russia’s peace push ‘spectacle’<\/b>
It’s quite the spectacle – a country that’s been waging war on its neighbour for more than three years is now urging others to show military restraint.
That’s because US involvement poses serious consequences, not just for Iran, but for Russia too.
Donald Trump dismissed the words of his own national intelligence director yesterday, who said as recently as March that Iran is not building nuclear weapons. 
When Tulsi Gabbard’s testimony to Congress was put to Trump, he responded: “I don’t care.”
But there is one thing the president likely will care about, our correspondent James Matthews<\/b><\/a> points out, which may influence his thinking.
Speaking on the Trump 100 podcast, he said: “In the minds of many will be Iraq 2003.
“Weapons of mass destruction that, of course, turned out not to exist.
“To this day, that darkens the legacy of George W Bush – and that won’t be lost on Donald Trump.”
Listen to the full episode below…
Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News he is “worried” about escalation in the Middle East.
The British prime minister spoke to our political editor Beth Rigby<\/a><\/b> yesterday.
Rigby breaks down her eight-minute chat with the prime minister, where Starmer admits: “I’m worried about escalation… I’m worried about escalation in the region.”
His words come as Donald Trump is reportedly considering direct involvement.
Watch her full analysis below…
Israel says it has attacked 40 Iranian targets today.
These include, according to the IDF, missile infrastructure, storage sites and military operatives.
Russia warning to US<\/b>
Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry has warned the US against wading into the conflict.
It went as far as to warn Washington against even considering such action and comes as Donald Trump is mulling his options in the Middle East.
Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency, said: “This would be a step that would radically destabilise the entire situation.”
In separate comments, the head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service Sergei Naryshkin was quoted as saying that the situation between Iran and Israel was now critical.
Our military analyst Michael Clarke<\/b><\/a> is in place and taking your questions on the Iran-Israel conflict.
He’s with our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn<\/b><\/a>, and together they’ll be breaking down what Iran’s nuclear ambitions really are, and what regime change would actually look like.
Click on the link below to watch live and follow our updates…
The streets of Iran\u2019s capital have been largely deserted today amid Israeli attacks.
Occasional cars and men on scooters sped by the closed shops and stores, after Donald Trump warned everyone should evacuate “immediately”.
Israel, repeating a tactic employed frequently in Gaza, has also told residents in a southwestern part of Tehran to evacuate so it could strike military installations.
Combined, they have led to large numbers fleeing Tehran.
Iranian media has reported heavy traffic on roads leaving the capital, heading north. 
Be the first to get Breaking News<\/span>
Install the Sky News app for free<\/p>\n

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