Tag: illegal attack

Complicit: UK gives green light to US bomber flights from British bases

“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“

STARMER STATEMENT 1st MARCH

Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case.

Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them.

They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. 

This is clearly a dangerous situation. 

We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit. 

I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.  

I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.

Our Armed Forces who are located across the region are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions.  

Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.

The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes. 

Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.

Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate.

Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement.

One in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.

But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region. 

That is the situation we face today. 

Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend 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. 

But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which used to fire the missiles.

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.

The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives.

That is in accordance with international law. And we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.

We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region.

And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.

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.

It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.

This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.

‘We strongly condemn Iranian strikes across the region’: UK statement at the UN Security Council

(NO CONDEMNATION OF US or ISRAELI ATTACK, OF COURSE)

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on The Middle East:

Colleagues, this is a fragile moment for the Middle East.  

The United Kingdom played no role in the strikes against Iran.  

But we are under no illusion about the nature of the Iranian regime.  

The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people simply for exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms.  

Iran has repeatedly ignored calls to find a durable and acceptable solution to the nuclear issue, while continuing to destabilise the region through their support to proxies and partners.  

We strongly condemn Iranian strikes across the region, including the attacks on a hotel in Dubai, the attack on Kuwait’s civilian airport, and attacks on civilian targets in Bahrain.  

We extend our support and solidarity to all our partners – many of which are not parties to the conflict.  

Regional stability remains a priority.  

As my Prime Minister stated, UK forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people and regional partners, as the United Kingdom has done before, and in line with international law. 

Reports of strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure are deeply alarming. The protection of civilians and full respect for international law is critical. 

Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.  

That is why we, alongside our French and German partners, have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution. 

We have always been clear that only a diplomatic solution can fully and sustainably address these threats.  

We want to see the swiftest possible resolution that ensures security and stability for the region.  

Iran must refrain from further strikes, and its appalling behaviour, to allow a path back to diplomacy.   

We will continue to work with our partners to this end – in support of peace and security, and the protection of civilian life across the region.