Starmer hails Iran deal

PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed a “hugely significant moment” in the conflict in the Middle East, after the “breakthrough” deal between the United States and Iran was announced.

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US President Donald Trump has said the agreement meant “oil will flow” freely once again through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route out of the Persian Gulf.

News of a long-awaited peace deal emerged overnight on Sunday, with mediators in Pakistan announcing that an initial agreement could be signed electronically within 24 hours, followed by detailed talks next week.

The deal would bring to an end a four-month war in which Iran has used a blockade of the Strait as an economic weapon, leading to fuel shortages in some countries, disruption to agricultural fertiliser supplies, and price spikes at Britain’s petrol forecourts and airports.