Iran threatens UK bases used by US, Britain vows 24/7 defence

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any British base used by the United States to launch attacks on Iranian territory would be regarded as a legitimate target. The Iranian foreign ministry called the United Kingdom an “accomplice” in aggression and said it would bear responsibility for any consequences.

In response, the British government said its armed forces are “ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week to defend the United Kingdom”. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson emphasized a layered air‑ and missile‑defence system operated by the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force in close coordination with NATO allies. Prime Minister Andy Burnburn confirmed that the policy allowing US forces to use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean for defensive operations remains unchanged, while Britain rejects participation in offensive strikes against Iran.

The Iranian warning follows the thirteenth consecutive night of US strikes on Iranian targets, including a B‑1 bomber that took off from RAF Fairford. The UK has also designated the IRGC as a threat to national security. Both sides cited the statements: the UK said, “We stand ready 24/7 to defend ourselves,” and the IRGC asserted, “Any base used to attack Iranian territory is a legitimate target.”