The British Ministry of Defence has condemned this Saturday the “dangerous” attacks launched by Iran, after two intermediate-range ballistic missiles were fired on Friday against Diego Garcia, a key island in the Indian Ocean, where the joint US-British base is located. According to the Wall Street Journal, the missiles did not impact the island, but the incident has raised tension in the region.
“The Iranian attacks, which lash out across the region and hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage, represent a threat to British interests and its allies”, a spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said in a statement to the media, adding that Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft and other military resources of the United Kingdom “continue to defend our population and personnel in the region”. This reinforcement of military presence is part of the British commitment to protect its bases and its allies against the growing risks derived from the conflict.
Response of Iran and diplomatic tensions
The spokesperson also recalled that the British Government has authorized United States the use of British bases for “specific and limited defensive operations” within the framework of the current conflict. This authorization has increased tensions with Iran, which has warned the United Kingdom about the possible implications of allowing Washington to use these facilities.
In recent hours, the Foreign Minister of Iran, Abbas Araqchi, has accused the United Kingdom of “participating in the aggression” by authorizing the use of its military bases by U.S. Araqchi has called the British approach “biased”, demanding that London cease all cooperation with Washington in relation to the conflict. The crisis continues to intensify as international actors align themselves and prepare for the next phases of the confrontation.