UK vows defense after Iran declares bases a target

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Thursday warned that any British military base used by the United States to launch attacks against Iran would become a "legitimate target," escalating a confrontation that has placed the UK at the center of an intensifying conflict between Washington and Tehran.ANews+1

In a statement, the IRGC said the US had recently resorted to using B-1 bombers flying from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after warships in the Indian Ocean exhausted their stock of cruise missiles. "Any base used for aggression against Iranian territory is a legitimate target for us," the IRGC said, warning Britain "not to further worsen its record" and accusing London of being "a principal architect of instability" in the Middle East.ANews

Britain responded within hours. "Our Armed Forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it's on our soil or from abroad. The UK stands ready 24/7 to defend itself," a government spokesperson said, according to Reuters. The spokesperson cited a "layered approach to air and missile defence, provided by Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force assets equipped with a range of advanced capabilities, working closely with our NATO allies".AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Burnham Continues Predecessor's Policy

The threat followed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's decision last week to recommit to an existing agreement allowing US forces to use British bases, including RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, for what London describes as "collective self-defence" operations. Burnham, who took office earlier this month, continued the policy established by his predecessor Keir Starmer, who first authorized American "defensive" operations from UK soil in early March after the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28.B92.net+4

Bloomberg reported that Burnham endorsed the arrangement after being briefed on discussions held among senior ministers and security officials before he entered Downing Street.bloomberg

Tensions Resurface Over Strait of Hormuz

The exchange comes amid a renewed flare-up in a conflict that has simmered since late February. Although Iran and the US signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding last month aimed at ending hostilities, tensions escalated again over the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a fresh exchange of strikes. The IRGC also claimed Thursday that it had struck a US electronic warfare unit at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.ANews

RAF Fairford has served as a forward operating base for American bombers since March, when up to 15 US aircraft — including B-1 Lancers and B-52 Stratofortresses — were deployed to the Cotswolds airfield. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has previously warned that allowing the US to operate from British bases amounts to "participation in aggression" that would be "recorded in the history of bilateral relations".BBC News+2

The British government said its approach remained unchanged and that it was committed to defending its people and allies "in accordance with international law while avoiding being drawn into a wider conflict".AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012