LONDON

The UK government has called for de-escalation in the Middle East amid growing concern over further US military action against Iran, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasizing diplomacy as Britain’s preferred approach.

In an interview with The Guardian, Cooper questioned what a successful US operation would achieve. “Look, one of the issues of concern for us is actually, ‘What is the objective and the purpose (of the strikes)?’” she asked.

Cooper suggested Washington’s focus appeared to be on Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, but argued that military action could undermine regional stability. Instead, she said the UK’s priority was “de-escalation.”

“For us that’s the issue … It’s why we pursue the diplomatic route,” she added.

'Future Iran is for Iranians'

If Britain were engaging directly with Iran, Cooper said the message would be clear. “We would just continually say to Iran that they need to stop this now,” she said. “They need to stop the ballistic missile threats. They need to (halt) the violations of the airspace, the safety and security of a whole series of their neighboring countries.”

She accused Iran of “deliberately trying to escalate this into a much wider regional conflict, which is just really dangerous,” though she did not use similar language about the US or Israel.

Despite criticism of Iran’s leadership, Cooper stressed that Britain did not seek to shape the country’s future. “While it might seem difficult to accept when a regime has been so ‘brutally oppressing its own citizens’, it’s the UK government’s clear view that, ‘the future Iran is for Iranians’.”

“Yes. [We] learn lessons from things that went wrong in the past,” Cooper said. “That’s why there’s a sense of this being about both our principles and our interests. You have to deal with the world as it is, not as you want it to be.”

However, she said the UK could act defensively if British nationals were threatened abroad, citing possible “threats to hotels in Dubai, for example, or threats to UK personnel.”

Cooper also referred to what she described as “Iran-backed threats in the UK over many years,” though she did not give specific examples.

Relations with US

The UK’s position highlights the delicate balance it faces between maintaining alliances and pursuing its own strategic interests. Relations with the US have become strained following criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has pushed allies to support stronger action against Iran.

Cooper said differences between allies were inevitable. “In the end, we have to make decisions about what is in the UK’s interest and what reflects the UK’s values, not anybody else’s. That’s our guiding force.”

She also pointed to disagreements over other issues, including remarks by Trump suggesting Britain had not supported US troops overseas. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pushed back strongly, citing the UK’s involvement in operations such as the war in Afghanistan.

Cooper said: "Making decisions based on what the US do or say doesn’t feel like sensible foreign policy."

Meanwhile, Britons overwhelmingly describe themselves as “anti-Trump” with stark political divides in how supporters of different parties view Trump, according to new YovGov polling on Monday.

Around two-thirds of Britons (67%) said they are anti-Trump, including 56% who consider themselves to be very anti-Trump.

Trump previously stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he does not want British aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East. “We don't need people that join wars after we've already won,” he said.

He publicly criticized Starmer over his response to the conflict involving Iran.

He once said the British leader was “not Winston Churchill” and accused him of damaging international relationships.

Trump also criticized the UK government’s immigration and energy policies, describing them as "horrible."