Starmer says UK to provide US base support for operations against Iran
Keir Starmer (photo: Getty Images)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the US had requested permission to use British military bases to carry out strikes on Iran. London, in light of Tehran’s actions, agreed to this, according to Starmer’s video address on the social network X.
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According to him, Britain deliberately decided not to take part in the strikes on Iran, as it believes that negotiations are the best path for the region and the world.
However, Tehran continues to strike British interests and put Britons and London’s allies in the Middle East at risk. Starmer уточнив that at least 200,000 British citizens live in the region.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would not change the situation. The only way to eliminate the threat is to destroy missiles near their source and storage locations, or to destroy launch installations.
“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk. And hitting countries that have not been involved,” Starmer said.
He stressed that Britain’s decision is based on collective self-defense with long-standing friends and allies and the protection of British lives.
Starmer added that London is not joining US strikes but will continue defensive operations in the region and will also involve Ukrainian experts to help neutralize Iranian drones in the Persian Gulf.
“I want to be very clear. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now. But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region, because that is our duty to the British people,” he concluded.
Middle East conflict
On February 28, Israel, together with the US, began attacking Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and destroy the country’s missile arsenal.
In response, attacks followed that affected more than just Israel. In particular, on February 28, Iranian forces struck US military facilities in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
On March 1, Iran also launched ballistic strikes on military bases in Iraq and Jordan, where soldiers of the German armed forces were stationed. Tehran also fired missiles at British military bases on Cyprus.
As a result, on the evening of March 1, the leaders of Germany, France, and the UK threatened to join the US and Israeli operation if Tehran did not stop striking countries that were not involved in the fighting.
