British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament on Monday that the UK had agreed to allow the United States to use British bases to destroy Iranian missile capabilities only for defensive purposes, whilst stressing that Britain was not joining offensive operations against Iran.
Starmer said Iran had launched “hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones at countries that did not attack them,” hitting airports and hotels across the region. He said approximately 300,000 British citizens were in the affected area, including residents, tourists and those in transit. “It is deeply concerning for the whole house and whole country,” he said.
He stressed that the base was not being used by US bombers.
Starmer said the US had subsequently requested permission to use British bases to target Iranian missiles at source — in storage depots or at launchers — and that he had accepted that request “in order to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region” and killing civilians. He said the move was legal under international rules, amounting to “collective self defence.” France and Germany were also prepared to allow US activity on their bases for the same purpose, he added.
The prime minister said British jets had already been put in the air “as part of co-ordinated defensive operations,” including intercepting a drone heading towards a base housing UK service personnel in Cyprus.
Starmer acknowledged that US President Donald Trump had “expressed his disagreement” with Britain’s initial decision not to participate, but said: “It is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interests.” In an interview with the Telegraph, Trump had said Starmer “took far too long” to accept the US request.
The prime minister said his decision not to join the initial strikes on Iran had been “deliberate,” and said the best path forward was a negotiated settlement under which Iran would abandon any ambition to develop a nuclear weapon and end what he described as its destabilising activity across the region.