The revelation that US senator JD Vance met with Iranian representatives at a Swiss resort has sent alarm bells through Whitehall. British intelligence sources confirm they are monitoring what they describe as “shadow diplomacy” by figures close to Donald Trump. For those of us in the North who remember the cost of war and the price of peace, this is a troubling development.
My own father fought in the Gulf and came back a different man. The idea of untrained politicians playing secret games with Tehran is a risk we cannot afford. Labour MPs are calling for a parliamentary inquiry.
The foreign secretary has remained silent but his officials are known to be furious. We need transparency. We need accountability.
And we need to ensure that any diplomacy with Iran serves the interests of working people, not just the whims of Washington insiders.
