Foreign Office minister to visit Iran to call for urgent de-escalation

A Foreign Office minister is to visit Iran on Sunday and call for “urgent de-escalation in the region”, amid heightening tensions between Tehran and Washington after an unmanned American drone was shot down.

Andrew Murrison, the MP for South West Wiltshire who covers the Middle East as part of his brief, will raise UK and international concerns about Iran’s “regional conduct and its threat to cease complying with the nuclear deal to which the UK remains fully committed” during “frank and constructive” talks with the government in Tehran.

The Foreign Office said the short visit on Sunday comes at a time of “increased regional tensions”.

Iran claimed the downed aircraft was “spying” in its airspace and had crossed a “red line”. However, Washington said it had occurred in international airspace.

“At this time of increased regional tensions and at a crucial period for the future of the nuclear deal, this visit is an opportunity for further open, frank and constructive engagement with the government of Iran,” the Foreign Office said.

Donald Trump said the US was “cocked and loaded” to retaliate against Iran, but cancelled the strikes just minutes before they were to be carried out on Thursday after being told 150 people could die.

Both the US and Iran have said they do not have any appetite for conflict. However, Trump told NBC on Friday that if it comes Iran would experience “obliteration like you’ve never seen before”.

“But I’m not looking to do that,” he added.

Iran has vowed to defend its borders. “Regardless of any decision [US officials] make … we will not allow any of Iran’s borders to be violated,” the foreign ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, told Tasnim, a semi-official news agency. “Iran will firmly confront any aggression or threat by America.”

Last year, the US unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six other powers and reimposed sanctions on the country. International sanctions had been lifted under the pact in return for Tehran curbing its nuclear programme.

A senior Arab diplomat said sharply increased tensions would further harm the crisis-hit Middle East region.

“De-escalation is very important because tempers are flaring … It’s very important we avoid confrontation right now,” they told Reuters, on condition of anonymity. “Confrontation, whatever we think about Trump or Iran, will be disastrous for everyone.”