UK Green Party leader: Starmer not telling truth on Iran war

UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for stronger British action against Israel and a reassessment of the UK’s military relationship with the US, warning the government is not being “entirely truthful” about its involvement in the war in Iran.

Speaking at the launch of the Green Party’s campaign for local elections in London, Polanski said it was “outrageous” that Israel continues to benefit from diplomatic and trade ties with the international community.

He said the Green Party is urging the UK government to impose tougher sanctions, withdraw from the UK-Israel trade agreement, and “end the genocide.”

Polanski also raised concerns about the UK’s role in wider regional tensions, pointing to conflicts involving Lebanon and Iran.

“The prime minister is not being entirely truthful with the country,” he said. “He keeps saying we are not involved in this war, but we still have UK soil and bases where US bombers are flying to Iran.”

He called for a separation of UK and US military operations, including a ban on American use of British airspace, and said the UK should follow the example of some European allies in distancing itself from the conflict.

“What we need to do is disentangle the UK military from the US military,” he said. “This war is not in our name, and we want nothing to do with it.”

Regional tensions escalated after the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Tehran also restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which it has agreed to reopen as part of a ceasefire deal.

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump announced that he had agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.”