Addressing reporters from Downing Street in London, Starmer reiterated his stance against the UK joining the strikes on Tehran and said he remained focussed on providing “calm, level-headed leadership” in favour of Britain’s national interest.
“No matter the pressure to do otherwise, the longstanding British position is that the best way forward for the region and the world is a negotiated settlement with Iran, where they give up their nuclear ambitions,” Starmer said in his address.
“That’s why I took the decision that the UK would not join the initial strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. That decision was deliberate. It was in the national interest – and I stand by it.
“I can announce today, that we are sending four additional Typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region. Wildcat Helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are arriving in Cyprus tomorrow (Friday),” he said.
These planes would be in addition to the Royal Air Force (RAF) jets already over Jordan, Qatar and other allies in the region, offering refuelling facilities in the air to prolong their defence mission.
Asked about US President Donald Trump’s repeated criticisms of the delay in allowing the use of British bases, the UK PM insisted the “special relationship” remains firm. He said: “We’re working with the Americans in the deployment from our bases. We are working together in the region. The US and the British working together to protect both the US and the British in joint bases where we’re jointly located and we’re sharing intelligence on a 24/7 basis in the usual way.
“That is the special relationship in operation. And clearly it’s for the President to take decisions that he considers in the national interest, the right decisions for the US, I understand that, I respect that, but equally it’s for me the British Prime Minister to take decisions I consider to be in the best decisions of the United Kingdom.”
Starmer also stressed that the UK had begun pre-deploying its assets to the region in January and February, in conjunction with the US and other allies, as part of its defensive stance.
“Therefore, I can say we are doing everything we can and have done everything we can at speed to make sure that we are properly protecting our citizens, which is my number one concern,” he said.
The PM also confirmed that the UK’s first charter flight to repatriate stranded British nationals from Oman took off on Thursday, a day later than planned, with plans to lay on additional charter flights in the coming days.