28 February 2026
The situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf is evolving rapidly, and I know families on Teesside may be concerned about loved ones currently abroad. If you have British family or friends in the region, please contact my constituency office at luke.myer.mp@parliament.uk and my team will do everything we can to help. For the most up-to-date information, residents should consult FCDO travel advice for the following countries:
- Bahrain: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bahrain
- Kuwait: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kuwait
- Qatar: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/qatar
- United Arab Emirates: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates
- Other countries: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
While the United Kingdom did not participate in these strikes, UK Governments of various colours have long been clear that the Iranian regime is a destabilising & repressive force at home and abroad, and must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
I believe that the autocratic Iranian regime poses a direct threat to peace across the world, not least because of its backing for around 20 foiled terror plots against the UK; its supply of some 57,000 drones to Putin to massacre civilians in Ukraine; its role in sustaining Assad’s murderous war in Syria; its role in prolonging the Israel-Gaza conflict and backing for proxy militias across the region; and its systematic persecution of its own people fighting for freedom and democracy. The courage of ordinary Iranians who have taken to the streets is extraordinary and deserves our solidarity. It is for these reasons that I support actions to weaken the Ayatollah’s killing machine. The Iranian people must be given the chance to rid themselves of this brutal regime.
It is also clear that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has behaved like a terrorist organisation, and I believe that here in the UK there is a strong case for proscription and targeted sanctions against those responsible for violence and repression.
At the same time, I do not believe that a spiralling regional war would liberate ordinary people. The UK must stand with our allies to avoid actions that place civilians at greater risk, and work urgently with partners to return to a diplomatic pathway. Iran can choose to de-escalate; it can refrain from further attacks, abandon its nuclear ambitions, and cease its repression of its own people. That is the route back to negotiations and regional stability.
I will continue to support measures that keep Britain secure, defend our allies, and stand with the Iranian people in their struggle for freedom.