What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Jeremy Corbyn today urged the UK to stand up to the "belligerent" US after the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

The outgoing Labour leader said there must be restraint on both sides but warned the airstrike was "an extremely serious and dangerous escalation of conflict in the Middle East".

And he said further conflict "can only bring further misery to the region" after the 2003 Iraq War, which he opposed.

It came as Britain called for calm on both sides with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab speaking to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier today.

But holidaying Boris Johnson - who reports suggest was not told about the attack in advance - was urged to "get off his sun lounger" to deal personally with the crisis.

And despite calls for calm, defiant Donald Trump tweeted a photo of the US flag and tweeted: "Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!"

Labour MP Stella Creasy called for an urgent recall of the UK Parliament. She tweeted: "That parliament not due to meet until Tuesday surely unsustainable in such circumstances."

General Qasem Soleiman was killed by a US air strike at Baghdad airport in Iraq ordered by United States President Donald Trump .

He was head of Tehran's elite Quds Force who spearheaded military operations in the Middle East.

(Image: via REUTERS)

Mr Corbyn said: “The US assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani is an extremely serious and dangerous escalation of conflict in the Middle East with global significance.

“The UK government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US, and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the United States.

“All countries in the region and beyond should seek to ratchet down the tensions to avoid deepening conflict, which can only bring further misery to the region, 17 years on from the disastrous invasion of Iraq.”

Tensions between the UK and Iran have mounted in recent months, leading to a dramatic military stand off in the Strait of Hormuz over the summer.

The seizing of the 30,000-tonne British-flagged tanker, the Stena Impero, by the Iranian revolutionary Guard in July triggered a diplomatic crisis between London and Tehran.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

That followed the detention of the Iranian tanker Grace 1, which was carrying 2.1 million barrels, off the coast of Gibraltar earlier that month.

Now today's killing risks unleashing a fresh wave of revenge in the volatile Gulf.

Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami, the top commander of the elite Quds Force, vowed "a crushing revenge" against "all those involved and responsible for his assassination."

And Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the strike and announced three days of national mourning.

Boris Johnson was criticised for staying personally silent in the hours following the attack - after spending the new year on Mustique, a Caribbean holiday island for the rich and famous.

Angela Rayner, expected to run for Labour's deputy leadership, tweeted: "The PM must at least get off his sun lounger to make some kind of statement on the US attack killing the senior Iranian general and the escalating dangerous situation between Iran and the USA.

"Leaving it to the hapless Dominic Raab will not suffice."

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “We have always recognised the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Qasem Soleimani.

“Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate.

“Further conflict is in none of our interests.”

But several of the UK's Labour Party leadership hopefuls responded to the strike by hitting out at the UK stance - and warning against military escalation.

Rebecca Long-Bailey tweeted: "With this assassination, President Trump is pushing us to the brink of another disastrous war that would cost countless lives, further destabilise the region and make us all less safe.

"Our government should help de-escalate tensions, and we must resist any rush to war."

Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary vying to succeed Mr Corbyn, said Mr Raab's statement was insufficient and criticised the PM for having "pathetically unopposed" Mr Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.

(Image: PA)

"The Foreign Office's call for restraint today is too little and far too late, in the wake of such a brazen, unlawful and provocative attack," she said.

"As the drumbeat for war with Iran grows ever louder, and the first shots are being fired, we must fight through the UN to stop this conflict, and fight in our Parliament to stop British forces being put in harm's way in the service of Donald Trump."

Labour leadership contender Jess Phillips tweeted: “Reckless foreign policy does not show strength. It's not a game.

“The consequences of the escalating tensions between the US and Iran are not to be underestimated, not just once again on the civilians in the region but on the whole world.”

Lisa Nandy added: "This is a very dangerous moment. 17 years after the catastrophic decision to go to war in Iraq violence still rages every day.

"World leaders must stand up to Trump. The last thing we need is another all out war."

(Image: STEFAN ROUSSEAU/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX)

Former Army reservist Clive Lewis said: "This violent escalation in an already volatile region is a mistake & should not be compounded by UK govt support.

"I call on the PM to condemn this cowboy action & turn immediately to our international institutions to try & de-escalate any war with Iran.

"I shed no tears for Soleimani, he was a cruel man who unleashed suffering for many. But violence begets violence, especially without a thought out military strategy. I know this from my time in Afghanistan. The UK must now lead in being a broker for peace."

And Keir Starmer said: "This is an extremely serious situation. There’s a clear danger of further violence and escalation in the Middle East.

"We need to engage, not isolate Iran. All sides need to de-escalate tensions and prevent further conflict."

The US Secretary of State thanked Mr Raab in a phone call for recognising the "aggressive threats posed" by the Quds Force in his statement, according to US spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.

Mr Pompeo was also said to have stressed that the White House "remains committed to de-escalation".

Today the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed there are around 400 British troops deployed in the Middle East. However, as of lunchtime on Friday there are no discussions about changing the forces it has deployed in the region.

The Foreign Office advises British-Iranian dual nationals against all travel to Iran and for other British nationals to seek the department's advice before travelling to the nation.

British nationals risk being arbitrarily detained or arrested by Tehran, the department warns.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been among the dual nationals being held in Iran since she was arrested in 2016 and accused of spying while visiting family.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I sit here partly worried for what that means for Nazanin, partly worried what that means for my in-laws, sat in their ordinary living room in Tehran where they're all really worried."