Starmer comes out of hiding to comment on Iran

Iran and the US have agreed to a two week ceasefire. Mostly, it appears, on Iran’s terms. Israel has said Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire deal. UK PM Keir Starmer effectively vanished from sight ahead of the deadline for US president Donald Trump’s genocidal threat to wipe out Iran at 8pm EDT on 7 March 2026.

Starmer nowhere to be seen

Starmer re-emerged at 7.10am on 8 March once the ceasefire was announced. His comments were typically milquetoast:

His only tweet on 7 March – commencement day of a potential genocide and nuclear war  – was in reference to far-right rapper Kanye West’s cancelled appearance at the Wireless festival:

Starmer’s absence at that critical moment in world affairs was so obvious that even right-wing TV fool Mike ‘Concrete Grows‘ Graham belittled the PM:

UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper also released a statement:

It is vital that the proposed talks lead to a full end to the conflict and ensure that Iran does not continue to threaten the Strait or its neighbours. I also call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.

We will continue to work internationally to support this ceasefire, to promote progress on negotiations, and to restore and protect security and stability for the region, and freedom of navigation for the world.

Advertisement

And the BBC reported that Starmer would visit the region in light of the ceasefire. A move bound to lift the spirits of the embattled people of the Middle East…

Trump is still trying to claim a win

Trump, who started the war without provocation, said this was a day for world peace and the start of a “golden age” for the region:

US-Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering unprecedented concessions in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.

The US has achieved none of its original war aims. Iran predictably closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil channel, once attacked – creating a global energy crisis. Far from being defeated, Iran has said the war will continue until “the enemy’s inevitable and permanent humiliation, disgrace, regret, and surrender”. Trump came to power on an anti-war ‘America First’ ticket. He now faces worldwide humiliation.

There is some confusion over the details and origin of the ten-point ceasefire deal. But there is a strong sense that Trump accepted Iran’s terms while trying to rehash them as his own for the benefit of less media savvy audiences:

You can read over the initial terms of the deal here:

Pakistan and China

Pakistan helped broker the deal. A last minute push from China appears to have gotten it over the line:

Associated Press (AP) reported on 8 March:

China, which is Tehran’s biggest trade partner, spoke with the Iranians to get them on board, according to two officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Chinese officials were in touch with Iranian officials to encourage Tehran to find a path to a ceasefire deal as the negotiations were evolving, the officials said.

Adding:

Beijing primarily had been working with intermediaries, including Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, as it tried to use its influence, said one of the officials, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the diplomatic matter.

China’s foreign affairs spokesperson Mao Ning told AP:

All parties need to demonstrate sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened in the first place.

She said China was deeply worried:

about the impact the conflict has on the world economy and energy security.

Timing of ceasefire taking effect still unclear

Israel continues to attack Lebanon. In fact, strikes appeared to intensify:

Many strikes were focused on the capital Beirut:

And Clash Report claimed strikes were still underway inside Iran:

Open source accounts also said Lavan island, home to an oil refinery, had been hit. Neither the US or Israel commented:

As AP reported:

Neither Iran nor the United States has offered any time for the ceasefire to begin

But a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, said American forces had halted offensive operations.

And:

Iran continued to fire at Gulf Arab states and Israel, despite Pakistan saying the ceasefire had taken hold immediately.

Much remains unclear. No timeframe has been set of cessation of hostilities. Iran and the US are both claiming some form of victory. And Israel is still battering Lebanon despite cessation of Israeli attacks being a key point in the ceasefire plan. In the coming days the framework of the ceasefire may become clearer. But it is important to keep in mind that this is only a pause, not a long-term peace deal.

Featured image via the Canary