Starmer boarded a flight to the Gulf hours after the Iran ceasefire was announced, but what No 10 said he will do there caught people off guard

Prime Minister Keir Starmer flew to the Gulf region on Wednesday, just hours after the United States and Iran reached a conditional ceasefire agreement. He welcomed the deal, telling reporters it would “bring a moment of relief to the region and the world.” Downing Street stated he would “discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire” during the visit, with a return to the UK expected on Friday.

The conditional ceasefire was reached on Tuesday, just over an hour before the expiration of a deadline set by President Trump. Trump had issued warnings that “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to end the conflict and unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Those comments had previously prompted Downing Street to call for “de-escalation” in the region.

Starmer stated that “Together with our partners we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.” His Gulf visit is framed around supporting the agreement and working toward a permanent resolution.

No 10’s stated purpose for the trip raised a few eyebrows

The two-week ceasefire is contingent on specific actions from both sides. In a post on X, Trump confirmed the truce was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran would agree to the ceasefire “if attacks against Iran are halted,” adding that “for a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible.” The US had received a 10-point proposal from Iran, which Trump described as a “workable basis for negotiations,” saying that “almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to.”

The conflict began in February when the US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran over concerns that Tehran was accelerating efforts toward building a nuclear weapon. Iran retaliated by launching strikes on neighboring countries across the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Questions about what the ceasefire actually resolves have drawn scrutiny, with Trump’s stated victory on Iran disputed by the terms his own side agreed to.

One of Iran’s most significant actions was restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s energy shipments transit. The disruption to commercial shipping was described as the largest crude supply disruption in history. Oil prices spiked sharply as a result, fueling widespread concern about fuel costs globally.

President Trump’s rhetoric intensified in the lead-up to the ceasefire. Beyond the “whole civilisation will die” threat, he had previously threatened to bomb every bridge and power plant in Iran if its leaders did not comply with his demands. The deal was ultimately secured after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reportedly asked Trump to delay his deadline to allow negotiations to continue and urged Iran to reopen the Strait as a goodwill measure. The role Pakistan played in halting the bombing was notable given that no NATO ally or Israel was credited with the intervention.

Following the announcement, oil prices dropped sharply. Futures for US West Texas Intermediate crude with May delivery fell nearly 15% to $96.32 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude with June delivery lost more than 13% to $94.88 per barrel. Francisco Blanch of Bank of America cautioned that the oil market remains “extremely tight” even with the price decrease, suggesting sustained relief could take longer to materialize.