Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced the US will be permitted to use British military bases for strikes on Iran, though Donald Trump is not happy with his fellow world leader.
The situation in the Middle East is pretty tense right now after the Trump administration ordered missiles to be launched on Iran’s capital Tehran on February 28 and encouraged Iranian people to remove the government there.
The Iranian regime has since responded with retaliation attacks, with missile and drone strikes having been launched in countries with a US military presence, including the likes of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.
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Despite being the US’ biggest ally, the UK has kept out of the current conflict and was not involved in the strikes signed off by the Trump administration over the weekend.Starmer initially planned on blocking the US to use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean, for operations against Iran, but has since made a U-turn on the matter.
In a video address to the nation on Sunday (March 1), the prime minister said it had ultimately decided to accept the US’ request for ‘specific and limited defensive purpose’ of destroying Iranian’s missiles at its ‘source’.
Starmer said: « 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. »
President Trump has since come out and said he was ‘very disappointed’ in Starmer after initially refusing the US access to the military sites. »That’s probably never happened between our countries before, » Trump told the Telegraph. « It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
Discussing Starmer’s U-turn, Trump added: « It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time.”
While the US-Israel attacks have been met with some division, Trump said the attack was ‘necessary to ensure that Americans will never have to face a radical, blood thirsty terrorist regime, armed with nuclear weapons and lots of threats’.
« For almost 50 years, these wicked extremists have been attacking the United States while chanting the slogan ‘Death to America’ or ‘Death to Israel’ or both. They are the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, » he added in a statement as the attack was launched.
Last year, the Trump administration announced it supported the UK government on the move, with the president telling Starmer he had a ‘a feeling it’s going to work out very well’.
However, Trump has since U-turned on this and said in a recent Truth Social post that Starmer is ‘making a big mistake by entering [into] a 100-year lease’ with Mauritius.
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump wrote: « I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean. »Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature. »
The islands are home to a joint US-UK military base, explaining Trump’s interest in the matter.
Trump continued: « Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally. We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. »
Last month, Trump accused the UK of ‘great stupidly’ for agreeing to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and stated he no longer supported the deal.
« There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. »
Trump added: « The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. »
Following the outburst by President Trump, the UK government said it would ‘never compromise on our national security’.
President Donald Trump has revealed he has plans to continue the US’s attacks on Iran ‘in full force.’
The US and Israel teamed up on February 28 to rain down missiles on Tehran, Iran’s capital, and other cities in the early hours of the morning.
As a result, Iran has reported 555 deaths and hundreds of casualties, including 180 deaths reportedly coming from a girl’s elementary school.
In retaliation to the onslaught, Iran fired off missiles and drone attacks to its neighboring countries, as it targeted US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Dubai, Oman, Israel, Qatar and more.
After attacking US sites, four servicemen have been confirmed as having died in the blasts, and in his latest address on Sunday (March 1), Trump revealed his administration has no plans to stop the conflict just yet.How long will the strikes on Iran last?
« As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” Trump said. « We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more. »
« We’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case, but America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization, » he added as he shared his plans from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
However, he did give insight on a timeline, noting: « Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. »What is Trump trying to achieve by striking Iran?
According to the POTUS, they have ‘strong objectives’, but didn’t detail what those were.
However, he did go on to speak about Iran’s weaponry, which might be a clue.
« We have very strong objectives. They could have done something two weeks ago, but they just couldn’t get there, » he said in his speech, referencing Iran’s nuclear program that sparked initial missiles to the nation’s alleged nuclear manufacturing site in June last year.
« An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American, » Trump added of the implications of Iran having nuclear capabilities.
However, he did say that the US and Israeli military ‘hit hundreds of targets in Iran, including Revolutionary Guard facilities, Iranian air defense systems’ and ‘nine ships plus their naval base, all in a matter of literally minutes.’
While the strikes have been met with division, Trump said the attack is ‘necessary to ensure that Americans will never have to face a radical, blood thirsty terrorist regime, armed with nuclear weapons and lots of threats.’
« For almost 50 years, these wicked extremists have been attacking the United States while chanting the slogan ‘Death to America’ or ‘Death to Israel’ or both. They are the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, » he said.
« I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death, » he warned. « I call upon all the radiant patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country. America is with you. »
Finally, he concluded: « I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you, but we’ll be there to help. Thank you. God bless you, to our incredible warriors, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you. »
