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LIVE: 'We took bomb out of their hands' Trump claims after US 'obliterates' Iran's nuclear sites
22 June 2025, 09:42 | Updated: 22 June 2025, 22:52
Keir Starmer has warned of a "risk beyond the region" as he said Iran's nuclear programme poses a "very real threat" following US strikes overnight.
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Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that there is a risk of further escalation despite best efforts to ease tensions following US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.
He said: "That is a risk to the region, it's a risk beyond the region, and that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme."
Starmer refused to "speculate about what may happen" and whether Britain would get involved, but stressed that "all necessary measures" have been taken to protect the British public.
He said: "We've long had concerns about the Iranian nuclear programme, and been very clear that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
"The US has now taken action to alleviate that threat. It is important that we now de-escalate the situation, stabilise the region, and get the parties back around the table to negotiate, and I've been speaking with international leaders this morning to that end."
He said the "everything we can to stabilise the situation, to de-escalate the situation, and to get to a negotiated outcome".
The US president authorised the bombings of the underground Fordow plant, one of the country’s key nuclear sites, and two other facilities in the early hours of Sunday morning, calling it a “successful attack”.
Trump surprised the world a little before 8 p.m. Saturday by announcing on Truth Social that he had given the go-ahead to attack Iran, using 12 massive 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles to destroy Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
In what is the most consequential decision of Mr Trump’s presidency so far, the assault signals a significant escalation in the conflict with Tehran.
Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi blasted the US strikes on three of its nuclear facilities as "extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour" and warned Tehran is "considering all options" as it plots its revenge.
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Read the latest on the middle east conflict on LBC's website:
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'They don't know what the f**k they're doing': Everything Trump said in sweary rant
Donald Trump gave a furious and sweary response to the US media after Iran and Israel traded missiles hours after a ceasefire was called.
Here's everything he said to reporters as he walked to his helicopter.
The ceasefire
“I think they both violated it,” he said about the ceasefire he announced.
“I’m not sure they did it intentionally, [it is possible] they couldn’t reign people back. I don’t like the fact that Israel went out this morning at all and I’m going to see if I can stop it.”
The latest attacks
The US president was asked about the latest attacks between the two nations.
“I gotta get Israel to calm down now. Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before, the biggest load that we’ve seen.
“I’m not happy with Israel. I’m not happy with Iran either. But with Israel, they just go out and drop everything you have on them…”
“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f**k they’re doing.”
The media
Trump went on a rant about the “fake news” reported by CNN about the state of the Iranian nuclear plants that he says were destroyed on a raid by US bombers.
“You are gutless losers,” he said about CNN. “I have no choice but to watch that garbage and it’s all garbage.”
Iran says it launched 14 missiles at Israel 'minutes' before ceasefire started
Iran's final wave of attacks on Israel were launched minutes before the ceasefire went into effect, Iran's Revolutionary Guard says.
In a statement via the Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said it fired 14 missiles at Israeli military centres on Tuesday morning.
What's the latest?
World leaders are wary of the threat of a developing crisis following the US carrying out strikes on Iranian power plants over the weekend and Russian president Vladimir Putin expressing support for Tehran.
What has happened?
Israel said an Iranian missile launch had been intercepted just two and a half hours after the ceasefire was announced.
Tehran denied it had attempted a strike but Israel Katz, defence minister, blamed Iranian for the breach of the ceasefire and pledged to strike back.
He has since promised "intense strikes" in the "heart of Tehran".
What did Donald Trump say?
The US president tweeted at around 5am BST and insinuated that a ceasefire had been agreed by requesting both sides not violate it, and both Israel and Iran appeared to have recognised this.
Trump has since warned Israel "do not drop those bombs".
He added: "they've been fighting for so long and so hard, they don't know what the f*** they're doing".
Trump: 'They don't know what the f*** they're doing'
"We have to have Israel to calm down because they went on a mission this morning," Donald Trump tells reporters.
"I've got to get Israel to calm down."
On reports that both Iran and Israel violated the ceasefire agreement, he says: "I'm not sure they did it intentionally. They couldn't rein people back.
"I don't like the fact that Israel went out this morning, and I'm going to see if I can stop it.
"As soon as I get away from you, I'm going to see if I can stop it."
He added: "As soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs," he adds.
"The likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel.
"We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing."
Starmer urges Iran and Israel to continue ceasefire and will press world leaders to help deescalate crisis
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told reporters en route to the Netherlands for the NATO summit that Israel and Iran must return to ceasefire.
He said: “ I want the ceasefire to continue, and therefore, obviously, the sooner we get back to that, the better. And that's the message that I'm discussing with others leaders today.
"We need to get back to that ceasefire, which is consistent with what I've been saying about deescalation for quite some time now."
Sir Keir added that he exchanged messages with the Emir of Qatar in relation to the attack yesterday.
Trump: ceasefire was violated by Israel and Iran
Donald Trump says both Israel and Iran have violated the ceasefire.
He said he is "not happy" with Israel and Iran - adding he is "really unhappy" with Israel.
He said that Iran's nuclear capabilities are "gone" and Tehran will never rebuilt its nuclear programme due to the targeted strikes.
The US President spoke to reporters before leaving for the NATO summit in The Hague today.
He added in a Truth Social post that it would be a "major violation" if Israel dropped bombs on Iran now.
Trump writes: "ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!"
Russia supports Iran with 'clear position' condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran
The Kremlin says it supports Tehran with its "clear position" condemning US and Israeli strikes.
Moscow spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia intends to deepen its ties with Tehran.
He said: "Many people are trying to spoil relations between Moscow and Tehran by adding fuel to the fire."
Mr Peskov added that Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, who held talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday, had said he highly valued Russia's role.
Tehran prison strike 'grave beech of international law', UN says
UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva that the attack on Evin prison inn Iran was a "a grave breach of international humanitarian law" and "not a military objective".
Israel actioned the strike on the notorious prison, which killed at least 16 people according to Iran media and injured others, on Monday.
Qatari Prime Minister calls US base strike 'unacceptable'
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has revealed the government received a call from Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.
At a press conference, he said Mr Pezeshkian expressed regret over strikes on a US-run military base in Qatar.
Mr Al Thani called the attack an "unacceptable act" but stressed his desire to not see any hostility in the Gulf neighbourhood.
He also said he had been involved in ceasefire brokering with Iran.
