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The British government has not given permission for the United States to use military bases on UK territory to support potential attacks on Iran.
In the past, the US has used RAF Fairford air base in Gloucestershire and the British overseas territory of Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, for operations in the Middle East.
According to The Times newspaper, US President Donald Trump's recent criticism of British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a joint US-UK military base is related to London's refusal to allow the use of the bases.
A British government spokesman stated: “As usual, we do not comment on operational matters.”
The US has been pressuring Iran to curb its nuclear program and has warned of possible strikes if a deal is not reached. Washington has moved warships, aircraft and other military assets to the region in preparation for a possible scenario.
Meanwhile, talks between US and Iranian negotiators in Switzerland have made some progress. On Thursday, Trump said it would be clear "within the next 10 days" whether a deal would be reached or military action would be taken.
The British government confirmed that it supports the political process between the US and Iran. "Iran must never develop nuclear weapons and our priority is security in the region," the spokesman stressed.
Sir Keir Starmer spoke by phone with Trump on Tuesday, after the US administration gave its official backing to the Chagos Islands deal. The Times reported that the two leaders discussed Trump's ultimatum to Iran, while the US president publicly criticised the Chagos deal a day later.
Internal sources reportedly estimate that the Pentagon's preparations for possible attacks on Iran - which could be launched from Diego Garcia - have influenced the president's stance on the strategic importance of the largest island in the Chagos archipelago.
In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump stated that if Iran does not reach a deal, it "may be necessary" for the US to use Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford air base to "neutralize a potential attack by an unstable and dangerous regime."
However, neither RAF Fairford nor Diego Garcia were used in last year's US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. At the time, a senior British defence source said Washington had not sought permission.
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