(Alliance News) - The UK government continues "to work very constructively" with the US administration, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted despite transatlantic tensions over the Iran war that saw President Donald Trump threaten to change a trade deal with Britain.
Reeves said the agreement brokered last year benefited both countries and co-operation was ongoing.
Both sides have traded criticism over the conflict, which has caused a global economic shock and sent energy prices soaring.
Only this week, Reeves branded the US-Israeli military action a "mistake" that had not made the world a safer place.
Meanwhile, Trump has regularly poured scorn on the UK for refusing to be drawn into the Middle East conflict, with personal jibes at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and digs at the Royal Navy.
In his latest sideswipe, the president suggested the terms of the UK-US trade deal "can always be changed" in an overnight interview with Sky News.
Despite deteriorating relations, the King's state visit to Washington is going ahead as planned at the end of this month to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Reeves has gone public with her anger and frustration at the "folly" of America's offensive and its financial fallout on families.
While attending a summit of the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC this week, the chancellor and 10 other finance ministers called for a "swift and lasting" end to the conflict, which had caused "unacceptable loss of life and significant disruption to the global economy and financial markets".
Stressing the need for de-escalation, Reeves said: "That is the best way to get prices down for families and businesses and to get back to the growth that we saw before this conflict began.
"But we continue to work very constructively with the US administration."
This included talks with Washington about imposing financial sanctions on Iran.
On the threat by Trump unilaterally to change the commercial agreement made with the UK, Reeves said: "We made a trade deal last year that was in both of our countries' interests.
"Both the US and the UK got things out of that trade deal that benefited our economies.
"We've extended that trade deal since the agreement last year, including, for example, in the area of pharmaceuticals, where, again, it's a balanced trade deal that benefits both the US and the UK."
She pointed out meetings she held this week with the US Treasury took forward discussions "on the future of capital markets and financial services between our countries".
She added: "So you know that relationship and that work together continues."
By Nick Lester, Press Association US Editor in Washington DC
source: PA
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