UK finance chief calls US strike on Iran “mistake” during Washington visit

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has intensified her criticism of US President Donald Trump over his war on Iran, calling it a “mistake” that has disrupted the global economy and weakened living standards worldwide.

In what signals a growing strain in transatlantic relations, Reeves argued that Trump’s decision to abandon diplomatic negotiations with Iran in favour of military action has ultimately left him in a worse position than before.

“I think it was a mistake to end those [talks with Iran] and to enter into conflict, because I’m not convinced that we are safer today than we were a few weeks ago,” she said during an event in Washington.

As she prepared to join global finance leaders at the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings, Reeves stressed that the conflict has already had tangible economic consequences, affecting living standards in both the UK and the US.

She also urged the swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise global energy markets, warning at the CNBC Invest in America conference that the absence of clearly defined US negotiation objectives with Iran has only deepened the crisis.

By Jeyhun Aghazada