UK says its forces are ready to defend the country after Iran labels British bases legitimate targets

The British government said its armed forces are prepared to defend the United Kingdom at any time after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that British bases hosting U.S. personnel and aircraft could be legitimate targets. Iran's foreign ministry described the UK as an "accomplice" in the U.S. campaign and the IRGC warned that any nation supporting the United States would face "consequences and repercussions."

The United Kingdom has permitted the United States to conduct defensive operations from sites such as RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, while stating it will not take part in offensive actions against Iran. The policy remains unchanged under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was briefed last week on an extension of the agreement with the United States.

A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson responded, "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 a layered approach to air and missile defence, provided by Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force assets… working closely with our NATO allies. The UK's approach to the conflict remains the same – 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."

Iranian officials have previously warned of a right to self-defence if the UK were to become directly involved. In March, Iran fired two ballistic missiles toward the Diego Garcia base; one failed and the other was intercepted by a U.S. warship. Analysts have questioned the range and reliability of Iran's missile capabilities, noting that U.S. strikes have degraded its arsenal.