Report: Britain Refuses to Provide Military Bases for US Strikes on Iran
Britain has refused to provide military bases to the United States, including the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands in the central Indian Ocean, for use in strikes against Iran, The Times newspaper reported on Thursday (19 February), citing several sources.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump criticised Britain over the lease agreement for Diego Garcia. He said the island might be needed to counter “potential strikes” from Iran should nuclear negotiations fail, and urged Britain “not to hand over” Diego Garcia, regardless of any prior agreement.
Britain’s refusal to make the bases available reportedly forced Trump to withdraw his support for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, according to the report.
Britain has so far withheld permission from the US owing to concerns about violating international law and facing legal consequences from a potential strike on Iran, the report stated.
US plans to strike Iran are said to involve the Diego Garcia base, as well as RAF Fairford in England, which serves as the deployment location for US Air Force heavy bombers.
On Thursday, the British Foreign Office defended the agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Diego Garcia military base to Mauritius following objections from Trump. The office noted that on 5 February, Trump had told Starmer that the deal was the best that could be achieved.
On Tuesday, the US State Department announced it would hold talks with Mauritius from 23 to 25 February to reaffirm the importance of the Diego Garcia military base to US national security.
On 3 October 2024, Britain agreed to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. The agreement stipulated that Britain would provide financial support and infrastructure investment to Mauritius, whilst retaining control of the Diego Garcia air base for 99 years.
Mauritius had opposed British sovereignty over the Chagos Islands for several decades. However, it was not until 2019 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution urging Britain to relinquish the archipelago.