Streeting Says UK-US Relations 'Strained' Over Iran Dispute
"Over the course of the last week, President Trump has said some pretty bold - in 'Yes Minister' language - incendiary, provocative, outrageous things on social media," Streeting told media, invoking the beloved British political sitcom to underscore just how far Washington's rhetoric has strayed from diplomatic norms.
The health secretary added a note of genuine uncertainty about Trump's intent, saying he is "not sure it's ever clear" what the president means when he posts on social media — before offering a broader assessment of how Britain has learned to read the American leader: "I think we've all come to learn that you judge President Trump through what he does, not just what he says."
Streeting robustly defended London's refusal to enter the conflict, characterizing it as "not a war of our choosing." He acknowledged the diplomatic cost directly, saying: "The difference of agreement with Iran has undoubtedly strained things with the Trump administration," while insisting the two nations remain bound together across a wide range of shared interests.
His remarks echo those of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly maintained that the Iran war is "not our war" and pledged that Britain will not be dragged into it — a position that has taken on added urgency since Trump threatened to consider withdrawing the US from NATO, citing insufficient allied support during the Iran conflict.
The fallout comes as the broader crisis deepens. More than 3,300 people have been killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran since February 28. Tehran retaliated with strikes against Israel, Iraq, Jordan, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, before a two-week ceasefire was announced earlier this week.
That pause has yet to translate into progress at the negotiating table. Iranian and US delegations concluded face-to-face talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad early Sunday, without reaching an agreement.
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