The British PM questioned if there is a thought-through plan for the Middle East during a House of Commons statement.
LONDON — Keir Starmer hit back at Donald Trump’s criticism of the U.K.’s Iran strategy Monday, arguing he does not believe in “regime change from the skies.”
The U.K. has learned not to engage in unlawful wars without a “viable” plan, Starmer told British lawmakers, reiterating his earlier stance that the U.K. will not get involved in offensive strikes in the Middle East.
“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. Any U.K. actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan,” Starmer said, referencing the 2003 invasion of Iraq by then U.S. president George W. Bush and ex-British PM Tony Blair.
The U.S. will only be allowed to use selected British bases for defensive raids on Tehran’s missile stores and launchers after Iran launches retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, Starmer said.
The British PM addressed a packed House of Commons on Monday afternoon after being publicly rebuked by the U.S. president for not allowing the U.S. to use British bases to target Iran during its initial wave of attacks.
Trump told the Telegraph newspaper that he was “very disappointed” that Starmer had hindered the use of the joint Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands, and said the PM “took far too long” to change his mind.
“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” he said in the interview. “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
Starmer kicked off his statement to MPs on Monday, acknowledging his disagreement with the U.S. president.
“It is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That’s what I’ve done and I stand by it,” he said.
The PM said he wants to see a “negotiated settlement” in which Iran agrees to give up its aspiration to develop nuclear weapons.
“We are not joining the U.S. and Israeli offensive strikes,” Starmer said.
“This government does not believe in regime change from the skies,” Starmer said in his most direct rebuke to Trump.
After launching “Operation Epic Fury,” the U.S. president told Iranians his barrage of missiles would give them a chance to “take over” their government.
Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, too, has told Iranians they have a “once in a generation chance” to oust the regime that’s had a tight grip on their nation since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.