Starmer chairs Cobra meeting after strikes by US and Israel on Iran | Foreign policy
Keir Starmer is chairing a meeting of the UK government’s Cobra emergency committee as Britain decides how to respond to US-Israeli bombing of Iran and Tehran’s retaliation against bases in the Gulf.
Britain did not participate in the first wave of attacks early on Saturday but deployed RAF Typhoons to Qatar to protect al-Udeid air base in the country and other allied military installations in the region.
British citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been advised to shelter in place immediately following news of Iranian missile attacks. The State Department has recommended a ban on all travel to Israel and Palestine.
“We did not participate in these attacks,” the prime minister said in a joint statement with his French and German counterparts Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, but all three leaders added that they were in contact with the United States, Israel and other regional allies.
Much of the three leaders’ comments focused on Iran. “We condemn Iran’s attacks on regional countries in the strongest terms. Iran should refrain from indiscriminate military attacks. We call on the Iranian leadership to seek a solution through negotiations. Ultimately, the Iranian people should be allowed to determine their own future.”
It appears that British air bases were not used by the US air force as part of the attack; Starmer rejected Donald Trump’s request to use RAF bases in Diego Garcia and Fairford earlier this month.
An additional six F-35s and additional air defence, radar and counter-drone systems were deployed to RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus; From there they can be deployed to defend Israel, Jordan or other countries in the Middle East.
Iran launched an immediate counteroffensive targeting US bases in the Gulf, with initial reports of attacks on bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait, as well as Israel. British forces are in small numbers at the bases. There is no information about any casualties.
The US and Israel appear to be waging a wide-ranging campaign aimed at bombing nuclear and missile sites as well as regime change in Iran. However, in its first statement, Britain only said that it did not want Tehran to have nuclear weapons.
A government spokesman said: “Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons and we have therefore consistently supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution. Our immediate priority is the safety of UK citizens in the region and we will provide them with 24/7 consular assistance.”
“As part of our long-standing commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East, we have a range of defense capabilities in the region that we have recently strengthened. We are ready to protect our interests.
“We do not want to see a broader regional conflict escalate further.”
Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said Britain must resist being drawn into a conflict in the Middle East.
The Labor MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that he did not think the US-Israeli attacks were legal. “As far as I know, we are not interested in this issue,” he said. “There is no British agreement to fall into this and I think it is the right thing to do. I don’t think there is a legal basis for this action.”
Thornberry added that the United States and Israel “are not under any immediate threat, so it’s hard to see what the legal justification is.”
Asked whether Britain should resist being drawn into the conflict, Thornberry said: “Certainly, as long as we don’t attack ourselves, which as I said, unfortunately this morning, there may be attacks by the Iranians on their western bases in the Arabian Gulf and so the situation may change. But we don’t know that.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch said he supports US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Conservative leader said in a post on
“Under my leadership, the Conservative Party will always put our national security first and work with our allies to make the world a safer place.”
