The United Kingdom has moved to block United States' access to British bases amid escalating tensions between America and Iran, even as President Donald Trump is weighing his options for a military strike against Tehran.
The Times UK has reported that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to block Washington's request to use British bases, in case a war breaks out between the two countries. Starmer, as per the report, has conveyed to the US that the use of British bases in Diego Garcia and Gloucestershire would be a breach of international law.
The bases, Diego Garcia in the Chagos Island, and the RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are home to America's fleet of heavy bombers in Europe, the report suggests.
Previous agreements allow the US to use these bases against a third country, given that the operation has been taken up, discussed, and agreed in advance with the government of the United Kingdom.
The Times UK report believes that Starmer's decision has provoked Trump to take to Truth Social and denounce the UK's move to hand over the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius.
Trump posted on Truth Social that he has been telling Starmer that leases were no good when it comes to countries, “and he is making a big mistake by entering a 100-year lease.”
He said that Stramer was losing control of the key island. “Should Iran decide not to make a deal (on its nuclear programme), it may be necessary for the US to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, to eradicate potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime,” Trump wrote, adding that an attack on the UK would also be possible.
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Trump wrote that the US will always be ready, willing and able to fight for the UK, “but they have to remain strong in the face of wokeism, and other problems before them.”
While media outlets have quoted sources on Trump's plans to strike Tehran, a White House spokesperson on Thursday said that diplomacy was the first option for President Trump.
Spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said that there were too many reasons and arguments, “that one could make for a strike against Iran,”
“The president has always been very clear, though, with respect to Iran or any other country around the world. Diplomacy is always the first option,” Leavitt told the reporters, adding that Iran would be very wise in making a deal with President Trump and this administration.
She said that the president was talking to too many people, “his national security team first and foremost.” While there have been reports of a joint US-Israel strike on Iran, Leavitt refused to comment on the subject, saying that she did not have any specifics on Trump's recent conversations with Israel.
She also did not comment on whether any deadlines have been set for Iran to reach an agreement by the Trump administration.
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