British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that Iran should return to the negotiating table and that an escalation of the situation in the Middle East is in no one’s interests, as he spoke with the leaders of Jordan and Oman on phone, Reuters quotes his office as saying.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer “agreed on the grave threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme and reiterated calls for them to return to the negotiating table” in a call with Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik al Said.

“An escalation of the conflict is in no one’s interests and the focus must be on de-escalation, they added,” according to the readout after strikes by the US on Iran.

In a separate call with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Downing Street said they “called on Iran to return to the negotiating table in pursuit of a diplomatic solution”.