The hope for a diplomatic breakthrough on Iran has been dashed. After a tense meeting with US President Donald Trump, the prospect of a nuclear deal appears further away than ever. For British workers, the consequences of this failure are not abstract.
The threat of conflict in the Strait of Hormuz could send fuel prices soaring again, hitting household budgets already stretched by high inflation. But the government insists that diplomatic channels remain open, a small comfort for those who fear the cost of war. The Prime Minister's office has confirmed that UK diplomats continue to work behind the scenes for de-escalation.
However, the union of foreign office staff, which represents many of these diplomats, has warned that cuts to the diplomatic corps have left the UK's capacity to mediate severely limited. As the world watches the standoff, British families are left hoping that peace holds, not just for the sake of global stability, but for the price of a tank of petrol.
