The Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday 12 March, to demonstrate the United Kingdom’s support for regional partners following recent Iranian attacks across the Gulf. Cooper met with her Saudi counterpart, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, where she expressed the UK’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners following Iranian strikes that have targeted critical infrastructure and diplomatic sites in the region. The two ministers discussed the importance of coordinated international efforts to de-escalate tensions and protect civilians, infrastructure and global energy routes.
The Foreign Secretary also met British diplomatic staff and rapid deployment teams based in Saudi Arabia, thanking them for their work supporting British nationals across the Gulf and assisting those seeking to return home safely during the ongoing crisis.
Alongside her visit to Riyadh, the Foreign Secretary held calls this week with counterparts in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, countries that have also faced attacks on key infrastructure and civilian areas as part of Iran’s escalation across the region. She reiterated the United Kingdom’s commitment to the collective defence and security of regional partners in the face of continued Iranian aggression. The Foreign Secretary also spoke with counterparts in the United States, Israel and G7 partners to underline the urgent need for a rapid and sustainable resolution to the conflict.
