Keir Starmer to ban US using British bases for strikes on Iran's bridges - as Donald Trump prepares to unleash hell

Peter Stevens
Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:45:32 +0000

Sir Keir Starmer has banned Donald Trump from using RAF bases for any strikes on Iranian bridges.

On Monday, the President repeated threats to "unleash hell" on Iran's civilian infrastructure, including "every bridge" and "every power plant" - and warned the US had a plan to do so.

Downing Street has previously said it would only allow the use of British air bases for "defensive" capabilities, which have included strikes on Iran's missile silos or storage depots.

The US is granted permission to strike from British bases on a case-by-case basis, and if bridges or power plants were raised as targets, they would be denied, according to The i Paper.

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As of now, no request has been raised by the US to use the RAF bases, including RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, for Tuesday's planned attacks.

Mr Trump's deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was extended by one day on Sunday, after he previously moved the deadline to April 6.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The UK authorised the United States to use British bases for defensive missions to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities which are threatening British people, bases, and our partners in the region.

"The United States is using British bases for specific defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles into the region, which is putting British lives at risk.

"This is alongside the defensive action the UK is taking to protect British people across the region.

"We won’t be providing a running commentary on our allies' operations, including their use of our bases."

Critics of the planned strikes have claimed targeting civilian infrastructure would comprise a war crime.

But the President rebuffed the claims, saying he was "not worried about it" - adding that Iran possessing a nuclear weapon was a "war crime".

The President on Monday also took a swipe at Sir Keir, telling GB News the UK had a "long way to go" when asked if Britain could be "resurrected" like Jesus Christ.

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Mr Trump said: "We don't want another Neville Chamberlain, do we agree? We don't want another Neville Chamberlain."

Sir Keir allowed the use of British air bases on March 1, saying the "only way" to peace was to "destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers".

The President has indicated a strike on Tuesday - which he called "Power Plant Day" and "Bridge Day" in a social media post - would be definitive.

He told reporters: "Every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o'clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again."

He added the strikes on civilian infrastructure could be done "over a period of four hours if we wanted to - we don't want that to happen".

But the strikes won't happen if the US's demands are met, Mr Trump says.

As well as reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, other demands include the shutdown of its nuclear programme and ending the building of its ballistic missiles.

"We’re never going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Mr Trump said.

Richard Foord MP, who serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee, has criticised the strikes as being against international law - a common and controversial justification for Sir Keir's foreign policy.

He told The i: "Rules of engagement exist in war for very good reason".

The former British Army officer added: "Rules of engagement also serve to maintain the law of armed conflict, and stop disciplined use of force from becoming unmitigated blood-spilling, motivated by bloodlust."

He said the strikes could cause Iranians to view the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as the "enemy's enemy", turning them into "their friend".