Britain is sending a minister to Iran to "raise UK and international concerns about Iran's regional conduct".

Dr Andrew Murrison, minister of state for the Middle East, will head to the country on Sunday and demand a de-escalation of tension in the Middle East.

He will also discuss worries over Iran's threat to stop complying with the nuclear deal.

The Foreign Office said the visit was an "opportunity for further open, frank and constructive engagement".

Donald Trump has revealed he called off military action against three Iranian targets with just minutes to spare.


The US president said he decided not to retaliate for the shooting down of a surveillance drone because too many people would die.

Meanwhile, Iran's civil aviation organisation said on Saturday that the country's airspace was safe for airlines to fly through.

The US Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order on Thursday prohibiting US operators from flying in over sea areas of Tehran-controlled airspace.

Some international airlines are taking related precautions, with Etihad Airways suspending operations over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

In a statement, the airline said it would use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from Abu Dhabi "until further notice".

It added: "These changes will cause delays on some departures from Abu Dhabi, due to increased congestion in available airspace, and will increase journey times on some routes.

"The safety of our passengers and staff is the highest priority for Etihad Airways, and we are continually engaging with regulatory authorities and conducting our own risk assessments to ensure that our standards are not compromised."

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said there has to be a solution on Iran and that the issue would be discussed, at least bilaterally, at the G20 summit later this month.

American-Lebanese academic Fawaz Gerges claims "you might see a diplomatic opening" - if Mr Trump was to relax some of the sanctions against Iran.

He added that Britain, France and Germany were trying to prevent war.

He said: "Make no doubt about it - a war with Iran will not be limited to Iran. It will spread near and wide. It will spread to Saudi Arabia, it will spread to Israel, it will spread to Iraq, it will spread to Lebanon, and it will spread to Yemen.

"War with Iran will be more catastrophic than the war with Iraq in 2003.

"This is an area that floats on an ocean of gas and oil. Think about it, thousands of long range missiles flying around oil and gas facilities in the Gulf - imagine the devastation."