00:00Yesterday I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United
00:09Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case. Over the last
00:18two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not
00:27attack them. They've hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. This is
00:36clearly a dangerous situation. Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the
00:45strikes on Iran was deliberate, not least because we believe that the best way forward
00:53for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to give
01:01up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon. But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless
01:13and putting British people at huge risk along with our allies across the region. That is
01:21the situation we face today. Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend
01:30them and it is my duty to protect British lives. The United States has requested permission to
01:41use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept
01:54this request. To prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting
02:03British lives at risk and hitting countries that have not been involved. The basis of our decision is the collective
02:15self-defence of long-standing friends and allies and protecting British lives. That is in accordance with
02:25international law and we are publishing a summary of our legal advice. We are not joining these strikes, but we
02:37will continue with our defensive actions in the region.
02:41And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot
02:50down Iranian drones attacking them. I want to be very clear. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we
03:02have learned those lessons.
03:05We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.
03:14But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and
03:27our people in the region.
03:30Because that is our duty to the British people.
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