UK denies US request to use RAF bases for potential Iran strikes

UK denies US request to use bases for Iran strikes

The British government has not granted the United States permission to use UK military bases to support potential strikes on Iran, the BBC understands. This decision has reportedly prompted criticism from US President Donald Trump regarding a separate UK-Mauritius agreement.

The US has historically used RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the UK territory of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for Middle Eastern operations. A long-standing agreement requires the US to request permission before conducting military operations from these sovereign bases.

Trump links Chagos deal to military access

According to The Times, Trump's recent public opposition to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius was directly linked to the UK withholding base access. The deal includes leasing back the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.

Trump stated on Truth Social that if Iran does not agree to a nuclear deal, the US may need to use Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford "to eradicate a potential attack." Insiders believe Pentagon preparations for possible strikes have heightened the president's focus on the base's strategic importance.

A UK government spokesperson declined to comment on operational matters, stating only that the UK supports the ongoing US-Iran political process and that "Iran must never be able to develop a nuclear weapon."

US military pressure on Iran intensifies

The US has been moving warships, aircraft, and other assets to the region while pressuring Iran to curb its nuclear program. Trump said the world would find out "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether a deal is reached or military action is taken.

Some progress has been reported in US-Iran talks in Switzerland. However, the US has explicitly threatened strikes if diplomacy fails.

Key recent uses of UK bases by the US include:

• Support for an operation to seize the tanker Bella 1 earlier this year, which had full UK backing.
• Neither RAF Fairford nor Diego Garcia were used in US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year, a move for which Washington did not seek UK permission.

Legal and political ramifications for the UK

Any UK support for US military action would involve complex questions of international law. A state can be considered complicit in an "internationally wrongful act" if it provides support with knowledge of the circumstances.

When asked in January about potential US strikes, Starmer said his focus was working with allies to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and to address the "grotesque" repression of protesters. He spoke with Trump by phone on Tuesday, after the US formally supported the Chagos deal.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey accused Trump of trying to "bully the government" and called for Parliament to have a vote on the use of UK bases by US forces. The UK government's position remains that its priority is regional security and a diplomatic solution.