Iran FM Araghchi says Starmer endangering British lives by allowing US to use UK airbases
People use their cameras as a USAF B-1 bomber approaches to land at RAF Fairford airbase, used by United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, amid the US–Israeli war on Iran. PHOTO: REUTERS
The British government gave authorisation on Friday for the United States to use military bases in Britain to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites that are attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
British ministers met on Friday to discuss the war with Iran and Iran’s blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Downing Street statement.
“They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.
The government stressed that “the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same” and called for “urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war”.
The Cabinet ministers condemned Iran’s expansion of its targets to include international shipping.
“They agreed that Iran’s reckless strikes, including on Red Ensign (British Shipping Registers) vessels and those of our close allies and Gulf partners, risked pushing the region further into crisis and worsening the economic impact being felt in the UK and around the world,” the statement said.
Writing on X, opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the decision the “mother of all U-turns.”
Diego Garcia latest – whilst we await official UK confirmation on concerning reports that our sovereign territory was targeted by Iranian missiles, surely even Labour MPs can now see what Starmer’s next u-turn needs to be 👇 pic.twitter.com/Lu2NRDMZyP
— James Cartlidge MP 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 (@jcartlidgemp) March 21, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X that Starmer was “putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran,” adding “Iran will exercise its right to self-defence.”
Vast majority of the British People do not want any part in the Israel-U.S. war of choice on Iran.
Ignoring his own People, Mr. Starmer is putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran. Iran will exercise its right to self-defense.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 20, 2026
Starmer said this week Britain would not be drawn into a war over Iran. He initially rejected a US request to use British bases for the strikes on Iran, saying he needed to be satisfied that any military action was legal.
But the prime minister modified his stance after Iran conducted strikes on British allies across the Middle East, saying that the US could use RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean.
US President Donald Trump has attacked Starmer since the conflict started, complaining he was not doing enough to help him.
Read more: ‘Not our war,’ Europe tells Trump
On Monday, Trump said there were “some countries that greatly disappointed me” before he singled out Britain, which he said had once been considered “the Rolls-Royce of allies”.
Opinion polls in Britain suggest widespread scepticism about the war, with 59% of those surveyed by YouGov saying that they were opposed to the US-Israeli attacks.
