What is the story about?
The government of the United Kingdom said on Thursday that it is "ready to defend itself" after Iran's military warned that any bases used by the United States will be seen as "legitimate targets". It is pertinent to note that the UK has allowed the US to launch “defensive” operations from British bases hosting American planes since the start of its war on Iran but has refused to help in offensive operations.
The policy in question was not altered by the country's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who was notified last week that a decision had been made to extend the agreement with the US. In light of this, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday that “any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces”.
In a statement published on the IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency, the group said American bombing missions had been launched from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire two days earlier. The assertion came right after the United States carried out a 12th consecutive night of strikes against targets in Iran.
The UK Ministry of Defence did not comment on whether Fairford was used by the US for operations against Iran this week. The IRGC went on to accuse the “British monarchy regime” of being the “primary cause of hardships in our region with a black record of partitioning Islamic nations, widespread massacres, imposing despotic regimes, and organising the occupation of Palestine”.
The body went on to warn the British government “not to weigh down its record any further”. In response to the latest threat, a spokesperson for the British government said: “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."
“This includes operating 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."
“We are committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict," the spokesperson furthered. On March 1, a drone struck the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, hitting a hangar, and prompting a partial evacuation of the facility.
On March 19, Iran also fired two ballistic missiles at the UK’s Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands. One reportedly failed mid-flight, while the other was shot down by a US airship. In retaliation for American strikes, Iran has targeted bases in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, killing American service personnel in some of the attacks.
The policy in question was not altered by the country's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who was notified last week that a decision had been made to extend the agreement with the US. In light of this, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday that “any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces”.
In a statement published on the IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency, the group said American bombing missions had been launched from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire two days earlier. The assertion came right after the United States carried out a 12th consecutive night of strikes against targets in Iran.
The UK Ministry of Defence did not comment on whether Fairford was used by the US for operations against Iran this week. The IRGC went on to accuse the “British monarchy regime” of being the “primary cause of hardships in our region with a black record of partitioning Islamic nations, widespread massacres, imposing despotic regimes, and organising the occupation of Palestine”.
UK hits back
The body went on to warn the British government “not to weigh down its record any further”. In response to the latest threat, a spokesperson for the British government said: “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."
“This includes operating 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."
“We are committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict," the spokesperson furthered. On March 1, a drone struck the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, hitting a hangar, and prompting a partial evacuation of the facility.
On March 19, Iran also fired two ballistic missiles at the UK’s Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands. One reportedly failed mid-flight, while the other was shot down by a US airship. In retaliation for American strikes, Iran has targeted bases in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, killing American service personnel in some of the attacks.
