UK's Starmer urges Middle East de-escalation in calls with leaders of Jordan and Oman

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Iran should return to the negotiating table and that an escalation of the situation in the Middle East is in no-one's interests in calls with the leaders of Jordan and Oman, his office said on Sunday.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer "agreed on the grave threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme and reiterated calls for them to return to the negotiating table" in a call with Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik al Said.

"An escalation of the conflict is in no-one's interests and the focus must be on de-escalation, they added," according to the readout after strikes by the United States on Iran.

In a separate call with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Downing Street said "they called on Iran to return to the negotiating table in pursuit of a diplomatic solution."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Hugh Lawson)