Media: British foreign secretary cuts short overseas diplomatic tour

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is returning early from an overseas diplomatic tour aimed at building international consensus on securing a permanent ceasefire in the Iran conflict and advancing discussions on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Foreign Office said Cooper will cut short the Asia leg of her trip after meetings in Japan on April 20, cancelling a planned speech in Tokyo and abandoning a scheduled visit to the Gulf, Reuters reports.

No official reason was given for the change in itinerary.

Cooper has been travelling since last week, holding talks with allies in Paris, Antalya, Dubai and Tokyo as part of efforts to coordinate a diplomatic response to the crisis in the Middle East.

The shortened trip comes as the government faces mounting political pressure at home over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. The row centres on reports that Foreign Office officials had initially advised against his appointment, but were later overruled.

The controversy has prompted renewed calls from opposition figures for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign. Starmer has said he was not informed of the initial vetting advice and is expected to address parliament on the issue later on April 20.

Meanwhile, senior Foreign Office official Olly Robbins was dismissed last week after losing the confidence of Downing Street and Cooper over the handling of the vetting process. He is due to give evidence to a parliamentary committee on April 21.

By Aghakazim Guliyev