UK Foreign Secretary Denies UK Involvement in Iraq-Style Conflict
Yvette Cooper has stated it is “simply not true” that the UK is being drawn into another Iraq-style conflict in the Middle East, following an Iranian drone strike on an RAF base in Cyprus.
The attack on the RAF base was part of a series of strikes by Tehran across the Middle East, which followed a US-Israeli operation on Saturday targeting Iranian missile sites. The UK foreign secretary confirmed that government ministers are considering plans to evacuate approximately 300,000 British nationals from the region amid escalating tensions.
UK Allows US Use of Military Bases for Defensive Strikes
Although Britain was not involved in the initial US-Israeli attack, Labour leader Keir Starmer announced late on Sunday that he had agreed to permit the US to use British military bases to conduct strikes on Iranian missile sites. This decision aims to mitigate the impact of Iranian retaliatory strikes.
The move has raised concerns among opposition parties, with the Liberal Democrats calling for a parliamentary vote on the matter. When questioned about the risk of the UK becoming entangled in an escalating conflict without a clear objective, particularly at the request of former US President Donald Trump, Cooper responded:
“That’s simply not true.”
Speaking to on Monday, Cooper elaborated:
“We took a very specific decision not to provide support for strikes that were taking place over this weekend. We have been clear that we believe there should be a diplomatic process, negotiations process.”
With Iranian missiles and drones causing damage and casualties across the Gulf, Israel, and Cyprus, the UK acknowledges its responsibilities regarding defensive support. Cooper added:
“This is about the defence of our partners in the Gulf and defence of countries where we have so many British citizens and interests in those countries.
It’s a specific, limited agreement about the defence of Gulf countries, and many of those Gulf countries were not involved in any of the strikes on Iran. So, for example, it doesn’t mean political and economic and infrastructure targets, but there is a significant issue about ballistic missiles and launchers that were effectively pointed at the Gulf, pointed at our partner countries, and countries where we have so many British citizens.”
Asked about the safety of hundreds of thousands of UK nationals in the region, Cooper stated that while the hope is to avoid a mass evacuation, it remains an option under consideration.
“We’re working on every possible option,”
she said, noting that around 300,000 UK nationals are affected. She continued:
“What we want, obviously, is for a resolution and for airspace to be reopened so people can get normal flights back again. But of course, we are looking at a wide range of options, working with the travel industry and with government evacuation if necessary.”
Details on Drone Strike at RAF Akrotiri Base
Regarding the strike at the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, Cooper described it as an “unmanned drone strike specifically on the airport runway,” but declined to provide further information. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that residents at RAF Akrotiri are being relocated to nearby accommodation on Cyprus as a precautionary measure.
Labour Leader’s Statement on UK’s Defensive Role
In his Sunday statement, Starmer said:
“The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles. The US 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 government also released a summary of its legal position, stating:
“The UK is acting in the collective self-defence of regional allies who have requested support.”
