Protection for all communities crucial amid Middle East tensions, says FM

Wales' first minister said leaders had a role to play in reducing potential tensions among communities related to the conflict in the Middle East, adding that she was "very concerned about community cohesion".

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes, with Iran retaliating with attacks targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan.

Eluned Morgan said there would also be an "economic impact" due to the disruption to oil trading from the region.

She added that there were many people in Wales with links to the Middle East, including some currently visiting the region.

The UK foreign office is warning British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. Those already there have been advised to shelter.

Flights have been cancelled and multiple were people injured after missile strikes caused damage to airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Morgan told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement that she was concerned about community cohesion amid the conflict.

"I want to make sure that there is protection for all our communities and we will all have a role in making sure that we don't see those kind of tensions arise within our communities", she said.

Morgan said the people of Iran had endured "a repressive regime for several decades" and that it was "very clear" it should never have been "able to develop a nuclear weapon".

But she said the priority should be to "de-escalate" the situation in the Middle East.

"We need to protect civilian life and I think we've got to be clear that instability in the Middle East will have an impact here in Wales.

"I'm very clear that upholding international law should remain a red line for us," she added.

The region is key to global oil supply and the Straits of Hormuz in the Gulf is the busiest oil shipping channel in the world.

International shipping has almost come to a standstill at the strait's entrance, with fears of disruption already pushing up global oil prices.

Morgan said closing the straits would "obviously have a knock-on effect" in terms of the "trade and price of oil".