The threat of war with Iran is terrifying and the behaviour of the US government risks making the danger real. Its categoric claim that Iran was responsible for last week’s attacks on the two tankers in the Straits of Hormuz has been challenged by the Japanese and the German governments. It has served only to make a dangerous situation more serious.

The context to this is Donald Trump’s scrapping of the nuclear deal with Iran last year, which blocked the way to normalising relations and immediately escalated tension. The accompanying sanctions have caused real economic damage and human suffering. In May the Trump administration turned the screw tighter by dropping exemptions for oil exports. These measures are part of the policy of regime change advocated by John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, Trump’s two senior foreign policy officials, both of whom have called for military attacks on Iran.

Rather than falling in line with the Trump administration’s dangerous brinkmanship, the British government should be calling for restraint and de-escalation and explicitly ruling out military options.

Mark Rylance Actor

Brian Eno Musician

Rowan Williams Former Archbishop of Canterbury

Miriam Margolyes Actor

Francesca Martinez Comedian and writer

Lindsey German Convenor, Stop the War Coalition

Murad Qureshi Chair, Stop the War Coalition

Kate Hudson General Secretary, CND

Bruce Kent Vice-president, CND

Marsha de Cordova MP

Emma Dent Coad MP

Imran Hussain MP

Grahame Morris MP

Ian Mearns MP

Kate Osamor MP

Laura Pidcock MP

Laura Smith MP

Mark Serwotka General secretary, PCS

Kevin Courtney General secretary, NEU

Andrew Murray Chief of staff, Unite

Abbas Edalat Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran

Mohammed Kozbar Muslim Association of Britain

Aaron Bastani Novara Media

Salma Yaqoob Campaigner

Yusuf (Cat Stevens) Musician

David Edgar Playwright

Ken Livingstone Former London mayor

Sami Ramadani Writer and academic

Peter Oborne Journalist

Steve Ashley Singer

Matthew Willgress Stand Up to Trump

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