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Sir Keir Starmer has put his cupboard on alert for a doable US assault on Iran, simply 24 hours after insisting Donald Trump had given no indication he was about to “become involved on this battle”.
British officers stated the scenario was “grave and unstable”, whereas the prime minister’s staff mentioned whether or not the president may search to strike Iran’s nuclear amenities from the joint US-UK air base at Diego Garcia.
Britain has to this point stayed out of the Israel-Iran struggle and is decided to not do something that would result in the closure of its embassy in Tehran, a key western diplomatic submit within the Center East.
Starmer mentioned the potential for a US assault on Iran at a gathering of a Whitehall emergency committee on Wednesday, based on officers briefed on the talks.
Members included senior cupboard ministers, navy chiefs, intelligence bosses and US ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson.
The prime minister continued to name for “de-escalation” — the official purpose why Britain has not provided any assist for Israel in defending itself from Iranian air assaults.
Starmer stated at a G7 summit in Canada on Tuesday there was “nothing the president stated that implies he’s about to become involved on this battle”.
However British officers subsequently admitted Trump was unlikely to share his true pondering over dinner with western leaders — and that the White Home’s method to the disaster was an “iterative course of”.
The doable use of Diego Garcia, a base within the Indian Ocean, for US air strikes by B2 stealth bombers would draw Britain nearer to the battle.
One UK official stated there was not a transparent “sure or no” reply as to if Washington must search approval from Britain to make use of the bottom to launch an assault.
The UK final month signed a £3.4bn deal at hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, whereas retaining a 99-year lease on the air base at Diego Garcia, the most important of the islands.
Israel’s ambassador in London on Tuesday stated defensive assist from the UK had not been mentioned or requested.
This contrasts with how UK Royal Air Drive fighter jets helped shoot down drones fired by Iran at Israel in April final yr. RAF plane additionally offered help throughout a missile assault by Tehran on Israel final October.
The UK additionally helped the US final yr in navy strikes in opposition to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Any British involvement within the present disaster might elevate questions in regards to the ongoing presence of UK diplomats in Tehran, a metropolis the place the US doesn’t have an embassy.
A Downing Avenue spokeswoman stated after the Whitehall committee assembly: “Ministers had been up to date on efforts to assist British nationals within the area and shield regional safety, in addition to ongoing diplomatic efforts.”
Whereas Starmer has repeatedly emphasised Israel’s proper to defend itself and has stated Iran can’t be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, he has stopped wanting saying he would assist US involvement within the Israel-Iran battle.
Any US assault on Iran might probably focus initially on the closely strengthened Fordow nuclear website, which Israel lacks the bombs to destroy.
US bunker busting combs able to penetrating Fordow should be launched from American B2 stealth bombers, and Washington positioned a minimum of six B2-As at Diego Garcia in March because it elevated strain on Tehran to agree a nuclear deal.
Consultants stated the US might launch B2 assaults from a house base in Missouri however the extra distance and refuelling wants can be an added complication to any mission.
A UK authorities spokesperson stated they’d “not touch upon hypothetical operations”.
In the meantime members of the family of British embassy and consulate employees in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem “have been briefly withdrawn as a precautionary measure”, the Overseas, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace stated.
That call stands in distinction to the FCDO’s present recommendation to UK nationals in Israel, who’ve been invited to register themselves with the British embassy or consulate however haven’t been instructed to depart the nation.
British officers stated the variety of folks registering for recommendation and different consular assist was “within the low hundreds”, lots of them twin UK-Israeli nationals.
The FCDO has issued recommendation that it’s nonetheless doable to depart utilizing business land routes by way of Egypt or Jordan, however has not really useful that UK nationals attempt to exit Israel.
“Our key message to British nationals is to comply with the recommendation of native authorities and keep near shelter and to register their presence with the FCDO,” a Quantity 10 spokesperson stated.
