Abu Dhabi (TDI): British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday as part of his Gulf tour. The visit focuses on supporting the two-week US-Iran ceasefire and restoring safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Starmer was welcomed at Abu Dhabi airport by Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority. He is expected to hold talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on upholding the pause in hostilities and strengthening regional security.
Starmer met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Wednesday. Both leaders discussed regional developments and practical steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He thanked Saudi Arabia for protecting British nationals during the conflict. He reaffirmed strong bilateral ties, including the recent deployment of the UK’s Sky Sabre air defense system. Starmer met UK personnel operating the system at a Saudi airbase.
Starmer has been urged to demand the release of British nationals detained in the UAE for filming Iranian attacks during the conflict. Up to 70 British nationals are thought to have been arrested under the UAE’s strict cyber crime laws.
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Six Britons remain detained and are receiving support from the Foreign Office. Dubai Watch, a campaign group, is representing nine of the cases.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said Starmer must make the release of these Britons a priority and show strength while in the Gulf. Dubai Watch founder David Haigh called on Starmer to raise the issue directly with UAE leaders.
Starmer has called for the ceasefire to be implemented in full, including in Lebanon. This position was outlined in a joint statement with European allies and Canada. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to reiterate the message in a speech on Thursday evening.
Talks between the US and Iran are scheduled to take place in Islamabad this weekend. Vice President JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff will attend from the Trump administration.
Starmer is seeking to minimize the economic impact of the war on the UK by securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s response have sent fossil fuel prices soaring worldwide.
The gulf tour enables Starmer to engage directly with key frontline allies at a critical moment when the truce remains fragile. The UK government has stressed that significant work remains to make the pause permanent and ensure reliable transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around one-fifth of global oil supplies.
