UK Allows US to Use Diego Garcia Base for Iran Strikes After Initial Refusal, Trump Says Approval Took ‘Too Long’
LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced late on March 1, 2026, that the United Kingdom has authorized the United States to use British military bases, including the strategic Diego Garcia facility in the Indian Ocean, for limited defensive operations against Iran, reversing an earlier refusal that had strained relations with Washington .
The decision, announced in a video statement posted on X, came after days of intense diplomatic engagement and as Iranian retaliatory strikes intensified across the Gulf region. Starmer emphasized that the authorization is strictly limited to preventing Iranian missile attacks rather than participating in offensive operations .
“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose,” Starmer said. “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” .
From Refusal to Authorization
The prime minister’s announcement marked a significant shift from the UK’s position just days earlier. Throughout February, British officials had consistently denied US requests to use sovereign military facilities for potential strikes on Iran, citing concerns about international law and the legality of any such operation .
According to multiple reports, London’s initial refusal was rooted in fear of being complicit in an operation it considered potentially lacking legal legitimacy. Under international law, a state that knowingly facilitates an unlawful military action may share responsibility for it . The UK government had not granted permission for the use of RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire or Diego Garcia for the initial wave of US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
Defence Secretary John Healey had previously stated in the House of Commons that the use of Britain’s military bases for operational purposes requires a “legal foundation and political rationale for any possible activity” . This cautious approach reflected lessons learned from the 2003 Iraq War, a point Starmer explicitly addressed in his announcement.
“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq. And we have learned those lessons,” the prime minister said, anticipating comparisons to Tony Blair’s collaboration with President George W. Bush .
Changed Circumstances, Legal Justification
Starmer and government sources insisted the reversal was not a U-turn but a response to changed circumstances. A close ally of the prime minister told Sky News: “This is a different question that has been asked. It’s about stopping missiles being fired at British citizens” .
The government published a summary of its legal advice alongside the announcement, arguing that the action falls within the framework of collective self-defence under international law. The legal summary stated: “The UK and its allies are permitted under international law to use or support force in such circumstances where acting in self-defence is the only feasible means to deal with an ongoing armed attack and where the force used is necessary and proportionate” .
Starmer outlined the specific threat to British interests. Iran had hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying, with at least 200,000 Britons in the region — “residents, families on holiday and those in transit,” he said . On Saturday, Iran struck a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel. Gulf partners had explicitly asked the UK to do more to defend them .
The prime minister spoke with the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Cyprus, and Oman on Sunday to coordinate the response .
Trump’s Reaction: ‘Too Much Time’
US President Donald Trump welcomed the decision but expressed frustration at the delay. In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Starmer for initially refusing to allow the use of Diego Garcia .
“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” Trump said, adding, “It sounds like he was worried about the legality” .
Referring to Starmer’s change of position, Trump said: “It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time” .
The US president had previously named both Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford in a Truth Social post, warning that it “may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the [RAF] Airfield location in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime” . That statement came amid Trump’s broader criticism of the UK’s deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which he called a “big mistake” .
The Bases: Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford
Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago, hosts a joint UK-US military facility that has been critical for power projection across the Middle East and Asia for decades . Located approximately 3,200 kilometers off the eastern coast of Africa, the base allows military operations to be conducted more easily across the region .
The base’s status has been complicated by the UK’s 2025 agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Under that deal, which has not yet been fully ratified by the UK Parliament, Diego Garcia would be leased back to the UK and US for 99 years . Trump’s recent attacks on the agreement have added diplomatic friction to the military cooperation.
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is the US Air Force’s only European airfield for heavy bombers and has been used in previous Middle East operations . Neither base was used in the US strikes on Iran in June 2025, when a senior UK defence source said Washington had not sought permission .
New Request, Limited Scope
According to various news outlets, the US request that London approved was significantly narrower than previous asks. The focus is on destroying Iranian missile depots and launchers used to fire at Gulf states and British interests, rather than broader offensive operations .
“This is a different question that has been asked,” a government source emphasized. “It’s about stopping missiles being fired at British citizens” .
The UK will continue to carry out defensive operations that have already seen British forces shoot down Iranian drones threatening northern Iraq and Qatar . Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was “not in the UK’s interests” to support the initial wave of strikes that killed Khamenei, but it was right to get involved now to protect Britons .
Attack on RAF Akrotiri
Hours after Starmer’s announcement, the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus was hit by a suspected Iranian drone, causing minor damage but no casualties . The base, which houses approximately 2,000 military personnel and families, serves as a forward operating base for operations in the Middle East .
Officials said RAF Akrotiri continued to operate normally, but family members of personnel were moved away from the base as a precaution . The drone is believed to have been launched before Starmer’s announcement rather than in retaliation for the policy shift . On Monday, Cypriot government officials confirmed that two further unmanned drones heading toward the base had been intercepted .
The UK Defence Ministry described the situation as “dynamic,” stating: “The region remains volatile and threats to bases persist. We have increased our force protection posture accordingly” .
Domestic Political Reaction
Starmer’s decision sparked immediate political debate in Westminster. The Liberal Democrats demanded a Commons vote, with leader Sir Ed Davey warning of “a slippery slope.” “No matter how the prime minister tries to define offensive as defensive, this is a slippery slope,” he said. “He must not let Trump drag Britain into another prolonged war in the Middle East” .
Green Party leader Zack Polanski condemned the move as jumping into “yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria” .
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took the opposite view: “Keir Starmer has finally given the UK permission to use British bases to destroy Iranian missiles. Better late than never. The prime minister is a follower, not a leader” .
Government officials said either the prime minister or Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper would defend the decision in the Commons on Monday .
Humanitarian Response and Evacuation Planning
The Foreign Office has mounted an unprecedented operation to support British nationals in the region. Approximately 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registered with the Foreign Office for updates . Officials are examining all options, including a potential mass evacuation .
Cooper told Times Radio that “every possible option” was being examined to protect Britons trapped in the Gulf .
A Delicate Balance
Starmer’s decision reflects the delicate balance the UK must strike between its historic alliance with the United States, its obligations under international law, and the immediate threat to British lives in a region now engulfed in open conflict. The prime minister insisted the move was defensive, limited, and legally sound — but critics on both sides of the political spectrum remain unconvinced.
As Trump said, the approval came after “too much time” from Washington’s perspective. Whether it came in time to protect British citizens and prevent further escalation will become clear in the days ahead.
With inputs from:
BBC: UK allows US bases strike Iranian missile sites
Bloomberg: Starmer grants US limited UK bases use
Indian Express: UK permits US defensive operations Diego Garcia
AJ Bell: Trump says UK permission took too long
Independent: Trump Starmer Diego Garcia delay
For broader context, see our in-depth analysis on Modern World Order Explained: Power, Alliances & Global Systems.
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