The UK has not agreed to allow the US to launch air strikes against Iran from the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia or from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

Axar.az, citing Sky News, reports that under longstanding agreements, Washington requires advance British approval to use these bases for military operations, and that consent has not been granted amid concerns a strike could breach international law.

President Donald Trump, who has surged forces to the Middle East, said the world would know within “the next, probably, 10 days” whether the US would secure a nuclear deal with Iran or take military action.

In a social media post, he wrote that it “may be necessary” to use Diego Garcia and Fairford “to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” adding: “We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK.”

While London is not believed to be preparing to support a US offensive, it has deployed six F-35s to Cyprus and four Typhoon jets to Qatar to strengthen its own defenses in case of Iranian retaliation.

The UK government continues to defend its decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for 100 years.