Keir Starmer has given the green light to the US to use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran’s throttling of the key oil shipping route – in retaliation to joint US-Israeli attacks on the regime – has sparked chaos in global markets.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister said he was working with international partners – including European allies – on a viable plan to safeguard the route.
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After a meeting with top ministers on Friday, a No10 spokeswoman said: “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.
“They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict. Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.”
It comes just hours after Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said allowing British military bases to be used by US forces will be viewed as an act of aggression. The top Iranian official was said to have made the comment in a tense phone call with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, the regime’s state media reported on Friday.
In a post in Farsi on Telegram, Mr Araghchi said he told Ms Cooper: “These actions will definitely be considered as participation in aggression and will be recorded in the history of relations between the two countries. At the same time, we reserve our inherent right to defend the country’s sovereignty and independence.”
Mr Starmer’s official spokesman responded on Friday: “So our position is very clear. We didn’t participate in the initial strikes, and we’re not getting drawn into the wider war. We have authorised the US to use our bases for a specific defensive and limited purpose in response to Iran’s continued and outrageous aggression, and we’ve always said that this is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and restore a path to diplomacy.”
A Downing Street spokeswoman added on Friday evening: “Ministers met this afternoon to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East and Iran’s targeting of unarmed commercial shipping, civilian infrastructure including oil and gas facilities and its blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.
“They underlined that the UK is working closely with international partners to develop a viable plan to safeguard international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Ministers condemned Iran’s expansion of its targets to include international shipping. They agreed that Iran’s reckless strikes, including on Red Ensign 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 Prime Minister has repeatedly stood by his initial decision not to grant the US request to use UK bases to launch its initial wave of missile strikes against Tehran almost four weeks ago, which led to the death of regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
But the UK government later gave permission for US jets to use British airfields for defensive operations after Iran retaliated to joint America-Israeli strikes by launching missiles and drones across allies in the Gulf states.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said on Friday the Prime Minister had been “very measured” in his approach to the conflict. “He took the decision quite rightly, not to involve the United Kingdom in the initial attacks against Iran, but it is quite right that the UK should defend British nationals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Downing Street also urged the public to carry on “in normal fashion” despite mounting concerns about major disruption to the global oil market.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Friday suggested governments should consider advising people to work from home more to reduce demand for oil amid the fallout from the Iran war. But Mr Starmer’s official spokesman said: “This is the IEA’s general advice for countries across the world. It is not in place in the UK. We have a diverse and resilient supply. People in the UK should continue to go about their days in normal fashion.”