Britain said that its air base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, will not be a party to its defense agreement with the United States, which stipulated allowing Washington to use British bases, following a phone call that took place today, Saturday, between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
Yesterday, Friday, the British government granted the United States permission to use the Royal Air Force’s Fairford base in England and Diego Garcia, a joint base between the United States and Britain in the Indian Ocean, to carry out defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
A spokesman for Starmer’s office said in a statement about the call with Christodoulides, “The British Royal Air Force Akrotiri Base will not participate in Britain’s continuation of its agreement with the United States to allow the United States to use British bases in the collective self-defense of the region.”
An Iranian-made Shahed drone caused minor damage when it collided with facilities at the British Akrotiri air base in southern Cyprus on March 2, and two other drones were later intercepted. No other known security incidents were recorded.
Britain has maintained sovereignty over two bases on the island since its former colony granted independence in 1960. A Cypriot government spokesman said on Saturday that Starmer stressed “that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is fundamental to Britain, and to this end, a decision has been taken to strengthen means that contribute to the preventive measures already in place.”
He added, “The Prime Minister reiterated that the two British bases in Cyprus will not be used for any offensive military operations.”
A source in the British Ministry of Defense said that an Iranian ballistic missile attack targeted Diego Garcia before Britain granted the United States its latest authorization.
British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper told the British media today that the government’s policy regarding the US-Israeli war on Iran remains defensive.
She added, “We will provide defensive support against these reckless Iranian threats, but we have not and will not participate in any offensive action, and we want to see the quickest possible solution.”
She added, “We will not be drawn into a broader conflict.”
