The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced that his government authorized the United States to use British military bases to launch defensive attacks aimed at Iranian missiles and their launch platforms. The decision responds to a formal request from Washington in the context of the growing escalation with Iran.
In a video message released on Sunday, Starmer specified that the United Kingdom did not participate in the initial attacks against Iranian territory and that it will not join offensive actions. “We were not involved in the first attacks and will not take part in offensive actions now,” he said. However, he defended cooperation with theUnited States as a measure of collective self-defense aimed at protecting British and allied lives in the Gulf region
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The prime minister explained that the use of British bases has a “specific and limited” purpose: to destroy Iranian missiles in their reservoirs or to neutralize launchers before they can be used. As he noted, the measure seeks to prevent Iran from continuing to fire projectiles that could hit civilians and countries that have not been directly involved in the initial operations
. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced that he will begin allowing the United States armed forces to use their bases for defensive attacks against Iran
Starmer indicated that the decision was taken in accordance with international law and announced that the government will publish a summary of the legal advice supporting the authorization. He added that British aircraft have already been operating in the region on defensive tasks and that they successfully intercepted Iranian projectiles in coordination with
allies.
In a joint statement, the United Kingdom, France and Germany indicated that they are prepared to defend their interests and those of their partners in the Gulf if necessary, through defensive actions. The message reflects European concern about the possibility of the conflict expanding and affecting regional stability
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Starmer stressed that his government's priority is to protect lives and prevent further escalation. “The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at their source,” he said, justifying the authorization granted to the United States. He also argued that transatlantic cooperation is essential in the face of what he described as an Iranian strategy that puts regional security at risk
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The decision reinforces the historic alliance between London and Washington at a time of high international tension. Although the United Kingdom insists that its role is limited to facilitating defensive actions, the measure represents clear support for the US strategy to neutralize Iranian missile capabilities and prevent new attacks in
the region. Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron
