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UK Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed on Sunday said that the United Kingdom will not be drawn into the conflict involving Iran in West Asia; however, it will remain committed to safeguarding its national and regional interests.
Responding to questions by Sky News over US President Donald Trump's 48-hour ultimatum to Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Secretary of State said the British government's focus remains on security and de-escalation as the conflict, which started on February 28, escalates. "Well, I think you need to ask President Trump about the things that President Trump is talking about. What we're doing is we have in place the necessary equipment and security structures to keep British nationals and British interests across the region and beyond safe," Reed said. He emphasised that the UK would not be pulled into war, while underlining its readiness to act in its own interests. "We're not going to be dragged into the war, but we will protect our own interests in the region. We will work with our allies to de-escalate the situation because we know that the best way to protect our security and indeed the economic interests that we have is to bring this conflict to a close as quickly as we can," he told Sky News. The remarks come after Trump warned Iran of severe consequences if it fails to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that if Iran does not "fully open" the Strait within 48 hours, the United States would target and "obliterate" Iranian power plants. "If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" the post read. When asked about Trump's criticism, including remarks labelling allies as "cowards", Reed declined to engage directly. "Well, I think Donald Trump, as the President of the United States, can speak for himself and the language that he chooses to use," he said. Earlier on Friday, Trump issued a stinging rebuke to international partners, labelling American allies, particularly from NATO as "cowards" for failing to meet his demands for military assistance against Iran to secure the critical Strait of Hormuz. Expressing his frustration over the lack of support for the maritime mission, Trump took to his Truth Social platform and called the NATO alliance "paper tigers". "Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran," the post stated. He also issued a sharp warning, adding, "COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!" (ANI)
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