The United Kingdom has yet to allow the United States to use its bases in the region to attack Iran, The Sunday Times reported on Thursday.
The hesitation reportedly follows concerns of possible international law violations, which “makes no distinction between a state carrying out the attack and those in support if the latter have 'knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act.’”
According to a Wednesday Truth Social post by US President Donald Trump, the US may need to use the joint UK-US Diego Garcia military base and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Station base Fairford in Gloucestershire “in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime.”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham sharply criticized the UK after the Time’s report, saying that if it is true, it would be an "astonishing" move that would raise “serious questions” about the status of Diego Garcia.
Graham argued that Iran, which he labeled as "the largest state sponsor of terrorism," is currently at its weakest point in years, due to internal mass protests and the "devastating blows" dealt by the US and Israel to the regime's military infrastructure.
He warned Britain that if it chooses to "sit on the sidelines," it will find itself "on the wrong side of history," and claimed this is yet another example of the erosion of US alliances in Europe.
Trump revokes support for Chagos Islands deal
The Times said that Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke on Tuesday night regarding Iran, and on Wednesday, Trump withdrew his support for Starmer’s deal to give the Chagos Islands, which include Diego Garcia, to Mauritius.
Britain and Mauritius last year struck a deal to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, while allowing Britain to retain control of the air base under a long-term lease.
“Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This land should not be taken away from the UK and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally.”
“We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK, but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them.”
Trump had previously called the deal “an act of total weakness” and "another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired."
Reuters contributed to this report.