Rhino: Agencies – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said the prime minister had a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Bazeshkian on Monday, asking him not to attack Israel and emphasizing that war is in no one’s interest.

The killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Tehran and Fouad Shukr, the military commander of the Lebanese Hezbollah group in Beirut, has led to threats of retaliation against Israel.

Sky News was the first to report the news and said Starmer spoke by phone for 30 minutes with Bazchakian after speaking with US President Joe Biden and other European allies earlier on Monday.

Starmer expressed his deep concern about the situation in the Middle East and called on all parties to de-escalate and avoid further confrontations in the region.

“There is a high risk of miscalculation and now is the time for calm and careful reflection,” Starmer’s office quoted him as saying, adding that he reiterated his commitment to an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Starmer said the focus should be on diplomatic negotiations.

Bazeshkian was quoted by the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency (IRNA) as saying that war is not in the interest of any country, but that countries have the right to “punitive response to the aggressor”.

“The silence of the international community and the support of Western countries for the crimes of the Zionist entity are contrary to international laws as they encourage the occupying entity to continue its crimes and pose a threat to the security of the region and the world,” he added.

Starmer’s office said the two sides agreed that constructive dialogue is in the interests of both Britain and Iran.

But Starmer told Bazeshkian that dialogue between the two sides could only be enhanced if Iran stopped its “destabilizing actions”, including threatening individuals in Britain, as well as not assisting Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.