The U.K. has allowed the United States to use British bases for limited defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites as tensions escalate in the Middle East. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also deployed additional Typhoon jets to Qatar to strengthen regional defenses and protect allies amid the widening U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict.
#UK #KeirStarmer #USIranWar #TyphoonJets #MiddleEastCrisis #USUKRelations #IranConflict #Geopolitics #BreakingNews #GlobalSecurity
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#UK #KeirStarmer #USIranWar #TyphoonJets #MiddleEastCrisis #USUKRelations #IranConflict #Geopolitics #BreakingNews #GlobalSecurity
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NewsTranscript
00:00This morning, I chaired another COBRA meeting as we continue to coordinate our response to the situation in Iran and
00:10the Middle East.
00:11I know that people are worried sick about their family and friends who are caught up in this,
00:18about the impact on our lives and our economy, and about the potential for even greater escalation.
00:27They can hardly believe that, yet again, we're seeing missiles and drones falling, and civilians in the firing line across
00:38the region.
00:39So I want to reassure the British public about the action that we're taking.
00:45While the region has been plunged into chaos, my focus is providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest.
00:56That means deploying our military and diplomatic strength to protect our people.
01:04And it means having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to
01:13do otherwise.
01:15The long-standing British position is that the best way forward for the regime and the world is a negotiated
01:25settlement with Iran,
01:27where they give up their nuclear ambitions.
01:31Now, that's why I took the decision that the UK would not join the initial strikes on Iran by the
01:39US and Israel.
01:41Now, that decision was deliberate.
01:44It was in the national interest.
01:47And I stand by it.
01:50But when Iran started attacking countries around the Gulf and the wider region, the situation changed.
01:58Iran has now fired drones and missiles at 10 countries that did not attack them.
02:05These are allies of the UK, where we have hundreds of thousands of British people,
02:12as well as British military personnel.
02:16Our number one priority is protecting our people.
02:21And that's why, long before the US and Israeli action last weekend,
02:27we had already deployed additional military capabilities to the region to defend our interests.
02:34And I want to pay tribute to our brilliant armed forces.
02:39Throughout January and February, we were moving defensive assets to Cyprus and Qatar,
02:47fighter jets, air defence missiles, advanced radar and systems to take down drones,
02:54to ensure we were in a heightened state of readiness in advance of any conflict beginning.
03:02When the strikes began on Saturday, we immediately put those jets into the sky
03:09on a mission to protect our people and our allies in the region.
03:15And that is what they have done, flying over Cyprus and the wider region,
03:22shooting down multiple drones,
03:24at least one of which was heading towards a base housing British military personnel.
03:33Our jets were in the sky again last night over Jordan, Qatar and other partners,
03:41refuelling in the air to prolong their mission.
03:44And we're constantly resupplying our jets and our missile stores.
03:49And we are responding to requests from allies in the region for further help.
03:56I can announce today that we're sending four additional typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar,
04:04to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region.
04:12Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are arriving in Cyprus tomorrow.
04:19The Defence Secretary is on the ground in Cyprus right now,
04:24coordinating our work and meeting our brave servicemen and women.
04:30We're deploying HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean.
04:34And we have allowed the US to use British bases to conduct defensive operations to take out Iranian missiles
04:44before they're fired at our people and our allies.
04:49We will maintain this shield over British people in the region and our allies.
04:55We are working to strengthen it every day.
04:59And we're working as fast as possible to get our people out.
05:05As of today, over 140,000 individuals in the region have registered their presence,
05:13enabling us to get them the information and the support that they need.
05:18We have rapid deployment teams on the ground in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
05:24And our consular teams are helping hundreds of the most vulnerable individuals.
05:31Despite airspace closures, we're working around the clock with airlines, travel companies and governments
05:40to open safe routes home.
05:43More than 4,000 people have now arrived back in the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the UAE,
05:50including vulnerable Brits identified by our teams.
05:56A further seven flights are due to leave the UAE for the UK today.
06:01And I can report that our first charter flight from Oman took off a few minutes ago.
06:09We will lay on additional charter flights in the coming days.
06:13British Airways is putting on daily flights from Oman.
06:16And we will keep working with all of our partners to increase the speed and capacity of this airlift.
06:26I want to be very clear.
06:29This is a huge undertaking.
06:31It's one of the biggest operations of its kind, many times bigger than the evacuation from Afghanistan.
06:41It's not going to happen overnight, but we will not stop until our people are safe.
06:51I also want to say a word about the economic impact.
06:54Iran is targeting oil and gas facilities in the Gulf and tankers in the Straits of Hormuz,
07:01trying to inflict economic pain around the world.
07:05So we will continue to work with the industries affected and our allies to respond to any impact.
07:14This is where the long-term changes that we're delivering for the British people are paying off.
07:21We have the right plan for defence, delivering the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War,
07:28to strengthen our armed forces and keep people safe.
07:32We have the right plan for our economy.
07:35As the Chancellor said on Tuesday, we're sticking to that plan so we can cut energy bills
07:42and help keeping families with the cost of living and helping them.
07:48We also have the right plan for our energy supplies, building up clean British energy like never before,
07:55decreasing our dependence on volatile international markets
08:00and creating the energy security and independence that we need.
08:06Faced with this new geopolitical crisis,
08:10the sad fact is that some will try to use it to divide us.
08:18That's why the government is reaching out to communities across the United Kingdom,
08:24Jewish and Muslim alike,
08:26making sure that communities and places of worship have appropriate protective security in place.
08:35But look, as a nation, we should come together in this moment.
08:43Those citizens that are stuck in the region,
08:48scared and in need of help,
08:51come from all backgrounds.
08:54The armed forces who protect them come from all backgrounds too.
08:59We are united by our common humanity
09:02and our love of this country.
09:07This conflict could continue for some time.
09:12So I want you to know
09:14that your government is resolute in our response,
09:18at home and abroad.
09:20We will do everything we can to protect British lives,
09:23uphold British values
09:25and safeguard the national interest.
09:31And now I'll take some questions.
09:35And I've got Chris, BBC, first, please.
09:40Thank you, Prime Minister.
09:41Chris Whiteson at BBC News.
09:42Can you address directly those at home and abroad
09:46who see your response
09:47and see indecision, prevarication
09:50and a lack of preparedness?
09:53Yes, let me address that
09:55because, as I said a moment ago,
09:57we started pre-deploying to the region
10:00in January and February,
10:02particularly to Cyprus and Qatar,
10:05and that was fighter jets,
10:10air defence missiles,
10:11advanced radar and anti-drone systems.
10:14Now, we did that
10:15during the course of eight or so weeks.
10:18We did that in conjunction with the US
10:21and with our allies.
10:22We continue to bolster the capability that we have there
10:26to keep our people safe.
10:27So there's been a lot of pre-planning gone into this,
10:30a lot of pre-deployment that's gone into this,
10:32and I'm satisfied that we can keep our people safe.
10:35And we're working very hard
10:37to make sure that wherever people have registered their presence,
10:40we can help them with the information that they need
10:42and the support they need
10:43and get them back to the United Kingdom
10:45as quickly and as safely as possible.
10:47Thank you, Chris.
10:49Robert Peston, ITV.
10:51Yeah, Robert Peston, ITV.
10:52Prime Minister, I was very struck by your choice of words.
10:55You said that you stand by what you've called
10:57your initial decision
10:59not to join the offensive operations
11:03of Israel and America against Iran.
11:06Does that mean that decision is subject to review?
11:10You're concentrating at the moment
11:12on defensive military activity,
11:15but could it turn into offensive activity?
11:18Well, as you will understand,
11:22we're working with our allies and with the US on this.
11:27We've been doing that for some time.
11:30The pre-deployment was done in conjunction
11:33and in discussion with our allies and with the US.
11:37And we have that capacity in the region
11:39that we pre-deployed to the region
11:41and we're bolstering that in the way
11:42that I've set out today.
11:44The US are using the basis to do these strikes
11:48into Iran to take out the capability
11:50to launch the strikes in the first place.
11:52So that is the configuration.
11:54That is the understanding of the arrangements
11:56that we've got in place.
11:57Thank you, Robert.
11:59Beth, can I come to you?
12:00Thank you, Prime Minister.
12:02This escalating war is really frightening people
12:05that are watching today.
12:06President Trump says it will go on for four to five weeks.
12:09You've just said it will be some time.
12:12Do you have any sense of how long it could go on for?
12:15Do you agree with President Trump?
12:17What's your message to the British people
12:19worried about how it's going to affect their lives?
12:22Can you give them any reassurance
12:23that you will help them on energy prices?
12:25And just secondly, on military operations,
12:28there's much unhappiness that military personnel
12:31and their families were left unprotected
12:34on the Cyprus airbase that was struck at the weekend.
12:38What went wrong?
12:39And do you apologise to them?
12:41Well, Beth, let me set out my number one message,
12:45which is that our absolute priority
12:47is the safety of our citizens.
12:51And that is the focus for all the decisions
12:54that I have taken,
12:56including the decisions to pre-deploy
12:58in the way that I've described
13:00and the decisions we're taking every day
13:04in order to deal with the situation
13:05on the ground in the region,
13:08the consular work to get people safely back home,
13:12and also what we're doing within the country,
13:15obviously, in relation to the division
13:16that can arise in situations like this.
13:20In relation to Cyprus,
13:21we've obviously had an airbase there
13:23for a very long time.
13:24There are protective measures in place,
13:26have always been in place.
13:27It's always been a protected airbase.
13:29It's not something new to protect the airbase.
13:32We've pre-deployed further assets to Cyprus
13:34in January and February for that purpose,
13:38and we're bolstering that.
13:40So I want to be really clear to everybody in Cyprus
13:43that we're taking every measure that is needed
13:46to protect them, to protect the airbase,
13:49along with the other places in the region.
13:51Thank you very much, Beth.
13:52How long do you think it will go on?
13:53Oh, I'm sorry.
13:54In relation to how long it will go on,
13:56I do know people are worried.
13:57They are going to be worried about any escalation.
14:01I think they can see what's unfolding
14:02on their television screens.
14:04That will cause them anxiety, understandably.
14:07They will be worried about the impact on their own lives
14:10that this could have,
14:11and those with family and friends in the region
14:15will be extremely worried
14:16about their family and friends in the region.
14:18I absolutely understand that.
14:20We are doing everything we can
14:22to de-escalate this.
14:24I can't give you a time base for this.
14:26I don't think anybody can.
14:28My strong view is that we need to de-escalate,
14:32and ultimately this will have to be
14:34a matter of negotiation
14:35when it comes to some of the core issues
14:38like nuclear capability.
14:40Thank you, Beth.
14:42Paul McNamara, Channel 4.
14:44Paul.
14:44Afternoon, Prime Minister.
14:46There are reports that you walked into a meeting
14:48with the National Security Council on Friday
14:50with one opinion,
14:52and had your mind changed by Ed Miliband
14:55and others in your cabinet.
14:57So is it true that you wanted on Friday
14:59to give Americans a precautionary permission
15:02in the event of Iranian reprisals
15:05to use British bases for defensive action,
15:07but had your mind changed by Ed Miliband
15:10and other members of your cabinet?
15:13Let me be really clear about this.
15:17No request from the US
15:20came in the specific terms
15:21that we acceded
15:23until Saturday afternoon.
15:26Saturday afternoon.
15:27Well, just hear me out.
15:29And therefore, on Friday,
15:31there was no concrete decision to be made.
15:33The decision had to be made
15:35when we had the request.
15:36That came in on Saturday
15:38during the course of the afternoon.
15:41We're already taking measures
15:43in relation to our own capability.
15:45That came in on Saturday afternoon,
15:47late in the afternoon.
15:48We then, as you would have expected,
15:50went through the details
15:51with the US over the next day
15:54and ultimately reached a decision on Sunday,
15:58which I announced then on Sunday evening,
16:00about eight or nine o'clock in the evening.
16:02But actually, on Friday,
16:03we didn't have a request from the United States
16:06and therefore no decision fell to be made.
16:08The decision fell to be made
16:09when we had the request.
16:10That was Saturday afternoon.
16:11We then worked it through.
16:13Decision on Sunday,
16:14which was a decision of all ministers,
16:17unanimous,
16:18that we should take the action
16:19that I then announced.
16:20Thank you very much indeed.
16:22Catherine from GB News.
16:24Thank you, Catherine Forster, GB News.
16:27Prime Minister, Cyprus, Bahrain,
16:29United Arab Emirates and others
16:31are being critical
16:32of the speed of our response.
16:35Have we let our allies
16:36and our own people down in the Middle East?
16:39We've still got a warship
16:40sitting in Portsmouth.
16:42And also, you said yesterday
16:44how in Munich you said
16:46we need to go further and faster
16:47on defence spending.
16:48But getting to 3%,
16:50let alone 3.5%,
16:51seems to have been kicked
16:52way, way into the long grass.
16:56When is your rhetoric
16:57actually going to be matched
16:58by the reality
16:59of when you're putting money
17:00into defence?
17:01Thank you, Catherine.
17:02I know you'll have heard me
17:03said a moment ago
17:03we started pre-deploying
17:05in January and February
17:07our assets to the region
17:09to make sure that we had
17:10the capability that we needed there.
17:13That wasn't an isolated set
17:14of decisions.
17:15It was done in conjunction
17:17with the US,
17:18in conjunction with our allies.
17:19And we're bolstering that again.
17:21And therefore,
17:22I can say we're doing everything
17:24and have done everything we can
17:25at speed to make sure
17:27that we are properly protecting
17:28our citizens,
17:29which is my number one concern.
17:32And that's why it's very important
17:33that I set out
17:33the pre-deployment measures
17:34that we took.
17:37And can I also say
17:39on defence spend,
17:40we've obviously already increased
17:41our defence spend
17:44with the highest spending
17:45now on defence
17:46since the Cold War.
17:47And I've set out
17:50when I was at NATO
17:51somewhat last year
17:53and at Munich this year
17:54that we need to go further
17:56and faster.
17:57And that's what we'll do.
17:58Thank you very much, Catherine.
18:00I've got Stephen
18:01from the Times.
18:02Stephen.
18:03Prime Minister,
18:04Donald Trump has suggested
18:05that you've ruined
18:06the special relationship
18:07that you are no Churchill.
18:08On the special relationship,
18:09is he right on that?
18:11Have you ruined
18:11the special relationship?
18:13Look, the special relationship
18:14is in operation right now.
18:17We're working
18:18with the Americans
18:19in the deployment
18:20from our bases.
18:21We are working together
18:23in the region.
18:24The US
18:25and the British
18:27working together
18:28to protect both
18:28the US and the British
18:30in joint bases
18:31where we're jointly located.
18:33And we're sharing intelligence
18:35on 24-7 basis
18:37in the usual way.
18:38That is the special relationship.
18:40That is the special relationship
18:41in operation.
18:43And clearly,
18:44it's for the President
18:46to take decisions
18:47that he considers
18:48in the natural interest
18:50the right decisions
18:50for the US.
18:52I understand that.
18:53I respect that.
18:54But equally,
18:55it's for me
18:56as the British Prime Minister
18:57to take decisions
18:58that I consider to be
19:00in the best interest
19:01of the United Kingdom.
19:03There's nothing controversial
19:04about that.
19:05The special relationship
19:06is operating right here
19:08at an important point.
19:10Thank you very much, Stephen.
19:12Pippa from Guardian.
19:13Yes, Prime Minister.
19:15As you said,
19:16a lot of people
19:16are very concerned
19:17about this conflict escalating.
19:19Has Donald Trump
19:20given you any insight
19:21into what his plan is
19:23for what comes next
19:24after the initial bombing phase?
19:27And are you convinced
19:28he has a plan?
19:29And if I can just push
19:30on the defence spending point,
19:32because increasing
19:33in defence spending
19:34to 3% of GDP
19:36by 2030
19:36would take up
19:38all real terms growth,
19:40unless, of course,
19:40you're raising money
19:41elsewhere to pay for it.
19:43Are you going to raise money
19:44to pay for it,
19:45or are you going to make
19:46cuts elsewhere?
19:47Well, firstly,
19:48on the risk of escalation,
19:52clearly,
19:52that is a concern
19:53for everybody.
19:53It will be a concern
19:54for everybody
19:56who is watching
19:57and across the country.
19:58And that's why
20:00we've been absolutely clear
20:02that we need to de-escalate.
20:04In relation to discussions
20:05with the Americans,
20:06obviously,
20:06they're happening
20:07at all levels.
20:08I've had discussions
20:09with President Trump,
20:10but all of my team
20:11are having discussions
20:11all the time
20:12with the Americans
20:13about the operation.
20:15In relation to defence spending,
20:19we've set out our plans
20:20for the increase
20:21that we've already put in place.
20:23I've made commitments
20:24at the NATO summit last year
20:25and at the Munich conference,
20:27and I was clear then
20:29that we will need
20:29to go further and faster.
20:32Thank you very much,
20:33Pippa,
20:33and Sophie from the Mirror.
20:35Sophie.
20:36So the current situation
20:38in the Middle East
20:38could potentially lead
20:40to the displacement
20:41of millions of people
20:42in the region.
20:43I'm expecting this
20:44to play out
20:44in more asylum claims,
20:46including small boat arrivals
20:47from the region,
20:48and I could serve
20:49that cuts to
20:50the international aid budget
20:51could impact the UK's ability
20:53to handle situations
20:55exactly like this.
20:55And if I can also just ask,
20:57have you spoken to Donald Trump
20:58since his criticism of you?
21:00Well, in relation to
21:02the situation that's developed,
21:04obviously,
21:05we don't yet know
21:07how long this will last.
21:09We don't know
21:10what the full impact
21:11will be,
21:12and therefore,
21:13we'll have to address
21:13those considerations
21:15as we get to them.
21:17And we will,
21:18because we're planning
21:19both the immediate
21:21day-to-day response,
21:22but also looking at
21:24the further scenarios
21:25into the future.
21:27In relation to Donald Trump,
21:28I spoke to him
21:29on Saturday evening
21:33this last weekend.
21:35Thank you all very much indeed.
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