Iran will consider all bases, facilities and property of "hostile forces" in the region as a legitimate target if it becomes the object of military aggression.
This is stated in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, sent by the country's permanent mission to the world organization. It notes that US President Donald Trump's rhetoric towards Tehran signals a real risk of such aggression. The letter emphasizes that the Islamic Republic does not want war, but will respond decisively.
Meanwhile, "Wall Street Journal" writes that Trump is considering limited strikes on the country initially, with the idea being to force it to agree to his demands related to a possible agreement on its nuclear program.
According to people familiar with the matter, such an operation could happen within days if it is finally approved by the president, and the targets of the strikes could be some military or government sites. The publication notes that if Iran continues to reject the insistence that it abandon uranium enrichment, the United States will expand its military actions to include targets related to the regime in Tehran, with the possibility of its overthrow.
The British government has not given the United States permission to use British military bases in support of potential American strikes against Iran, the BBC reported.
In the past, the United States has used the “Fairford“ of the Royal Air Force in Gloucestershire and that on the island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands - the British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean - to carry out strikes in the Middle East region. The “Times“ newspaper reports that US President Donald Trump's latest criticism of Keir Starmer's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back the joint British-American military base on Diego Garcia was provoked by the UK's refusal to use these bases.
A British government spokesman, contacted by the BBC, said that he “does not comment on operational matters“. The US is pressuring Iran to agree to curb its nuclear programme. The US has threatened possible strikes if Tehran does not do so, and has moved warships, aircraft and other military assets to the region in preparation for a possible strike.
A British government spokesman said on this occasion: “There is a political process underway between the US and Iran, which the UK supports”. However, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said that “If Iran decides not to make a deal, the United States may have to use Diego Garcia and “Fairford” for strikes. The BBC recalls that neither of the two bases was used in the US strikes carried out last year against Iran's nuclear facilities.