Starmer focuses on economic threats after Iranian missiles fail to reach British base on Diego Garcia

Published March 23, 2026 2:22pm ET



British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is calling an emergency Cabinet meeting following reports of Iranian strikes aimed at the U.S.-U.K. joint military base on Diego Garcia, but the British government will be examining “cost of living” concerns, not “military considerations.”

The prime minister is convening a Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms meeting on Monday, a type of crisis briefing for the British government. His officials will be briefed on the economic threats posed by a drawn-out war in the Middle East with an emphasis on concerns such as disrupted energy supplies and volatile global markets.

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