UK to involve Ukrainian experts to counter Iranian drones in the Gulf – Starmer

The United Kingdom has agreed to allow the United States to use British bases to conduct strikes on Iranian missile launch sites and storage facilities and will also involve Ukrainian experts in countering Iranian drones in the Persian Gulf.

Source: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a statement on Sunday 1 March

Details: Starmer said that the UK has not been involved in US and Israeli strikes on Iran, in part because of its belief that "the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement".

Meanwhile, he noted that Iran poses a significant risk to the British public and its allies in the Middle East, and that partners in the Persian Gulf have asked for more to be done to protect them.

Quote: "We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes. But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which used to fire the missiles.

The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.

We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved."

Details: Starmer stressed that the UK is not joining the strikes, but continues to conduct defensive actions in the region.

"And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them," he added.

Previously: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the situation in the Middle East has demonstrated how difficult it is to ensure full protection against missiles and Shahed loitering munitions, even for countries that possess more advanced air defence systems than Ukraine. He added that Ukraine is willing to assist partner countries by sharing its experience in countering such attacks.

Background:

• On the morning of 28 February, President Donald Trump announced that the US had launched a large-scale operation against Iran. Israel also carried out strikes.
• Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed in morning strikes on Iran on 28 February.
• Iran responded with strikes on several Gulf countries where US military bases are located.

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