The UK says it is “ready to defend itself” after Iran issued a warning relating to the use of British territory by US forces. According to reporting from multiple outlets, an Iranian military group—associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—states that any UK bases used by the United States for strikes on Iran are “legitimate targets.”
The dispute centres on claims that US forces have been operating from facilities in the UK. The Guardian reports that an IRGC-linked statement refers to a base in south-west England used by the US for bombing missions. The UK government says it has allowed the US to conduct “defensive” operations from British bases that host American planes since the start of the conflict involving Iran, while it has declined to take part in offensive actions.
In response to Iran’s warning, the UK reiterates its readiness to defend itself. The articles present the situation as an escalation in rhetoric tied to where US operations originate, with the UK and Iran differing on the nature of those operations and whether they make UK locations targets.
