Iran regime's approach 'becoming even more reckless, more dangerous': British PM
‘Iran can end this now, refrain from further strikes': Starmer
The Iranian regime’s approach is becoming "more reckless", and "more dangerous", British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated.
In a video address, the British leader confirmed that the UK has authorised the US use of British bases in the conflict amid the shooting war, citing threats to British interests and citizens.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint American-Israeli strike on Saturday and the Iranian Revolutional Guards Corps has launched retaliatory strikes on Western military bases, Israel and cities in the Gulf.
“Yesterday, Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel," Starmer stated in his video address posted on March 2. A British base in Cyprus was also reportedly hit by a drone.
"The death of the supreme leader (Ayatollah Ali Khomenei) will not stop Iran from launching these strikes, their approach is becoming even more reckless and more dangerous to civilians,” Starmer said.
Despite London’s position that the best way forward for the region and for the world, is a "negotiated settlement", the British PM said: “Iran is striking British interests nonetheless and putting British people at huge risk along with our allies across the region.”
The only way to stop the threat is to destroy Iranian missiles at source, in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
British jets in the air
"Our partners in the Gulf asked us to do more to protect them, and it is my duty to protect British lives. We have British jets in the air, as part of coordinated defensive operations, which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes,” he said.
There are an estimated 200,000 British nationals in the Gulf region.
“Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies, as Britain has done before, in line with international law,” he stated.
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.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
