According to a report in The Times of London on Feb. 19, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is blocking a request by U.S. President Donald Trump to allow American planes to use British bases to attack Iran, reportedly telling him that it would be in breach of international law.
In a rift with Washington, The Times reports that Starmer is understood to have told Trump that the U.K. would not allow the use of British facilities on Diego Garcia and at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Both bases have served for decades as staging areas for U.S. heavy bombers. Under the terms of longstanding agreements with Washington, these bases can only be used for military operations against third countries that have been agreed in advance with the government.
The move prompted Trump on Feb. 18 to withdraw his support for Starmer’s deal to hand the Chagos Islands—which include Diego Garcia—to Mauritius.
