Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that British forces and aircraft were taking part in coordinated defensive efforts to protect the country’s people, interests and allies, but were not participating in U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
The strikes targeted Iran’s top leaders and pushed the Middle East into conflict; U.S. President Donald Trump said they would remove a security threat to the United States and give Iranians a chance to topple their rulers.
‘Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies, as Britain has done before, in line with international law,’ Starmer said in a video statement posted on X.
‘We’ve stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level.’
The government did not respond to a request for comment seeking details on the ‘defensive operations.’
The British prime minister reiterated that Britain had not taken part in the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier on Saturday, but noted “the regime in Iran is utterly abhorrent.”
Starmer spoke to his French and German counterparts following a so-called COBRA emergency meeting earlier on Saturday, as part of a series of calls with allies.
In a joint statement, the leaders condemned “Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms” and called for a resumption of negotiations, urging the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution.
In his video statement, the British prime minister said it was crucial to prevent further escalation into a wider regional conflict.
Starmer said Iran could end the conflict now.
“They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programmes, and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people – who deserve the right to determine their own future, in line with our longstanding position,” he said.