A senior source with the UK government has confirmed that the British bases on Cyprus will not be used in any offensive military operation in the Middle East.
A Cypriot government spokesperson cited a phone call between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in confirming the news.
“The British Prime Minister reiterated… that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is fundamental to the United Kingdom and, to that end, a decision has been taken to enhance the means contributing to the preventive measures already in place,” the spokesperson said in a written statement.
“Finally, the Prime Minister reiterated that the British bases in Cyprus will not be used for any offensive military operations.”
This comes as a spokesperson for the British PM Starmer announced that the UK has given the United States authorisation to utilise its bases to strike Iranian targets that are launching attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
US aircraft have already operated from the RAF Fairford base in Colchester, England, as well as from the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.
There was an immediate response from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who described Britain’s decision as “participation in aggression”, warning that the British PM was placing the lives of citizens at risk while affirming Iran’s “right to self-defence.”
Source: ANA-MPA
