British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed the British public in a video message on Sunday evening, explaining why his government has done an about-turn on giving the US access to British bases to strike Iran.
The message was posted around 9.30pm-10pm Cyprus time. Three minutes after midnight a Shahed drone landed at RAF Akrotori base, reportedly causing minor damage. No injuries have been reported.
According to information obtained by Politis, if the drone was launched after Starmer's announcement, it is unlikely it could make it to Cyprus' shores from Iran within two hours - the indication being it might have been launched from somewhere closer to the island.
The British PM – a former human rights lawyer – focuses the policy shift on the fact that Iran is now attacking, as it warned it would, other countries in the region which host US military bases, thereby putting British lives at risk.
To eliminate this threat, the UK will allow the US to use its bases to strike Iranian missile depots and launch sites.
UK ‘not involved’ in initial strikes
Starmer begins his public address reiterating that “the UK was not involved in the strikes on Iran”.
He goes on to note that Iran’s response to the strikes in the last two days – where it has launched “sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them” is creating a “dangerous situation”.
"They have hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. […] We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit.”
The UK PM added that British armed forces located across the region were also being put at risk by Iran's actions, having hit a military base in Bahrain, which narrowly missed British personnel.
My update on the situation in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/DvsOVcTDMy
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 1, 2026
Committed to ‘negotiated settlement’ but also to ‘protecting British lives’
"The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes. Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.
"Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate, not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and the world is a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.
"But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region. This is the situation we face today,” said Starmer.
Allies ask UK to ‘do more’
He argued that Gulf partners have asked the UK to do more to defend them, while noting his own duty to protect British lives.
While British jets have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes, Starmer argues “the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles.”
"The US has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk and hitting countries that have not been involved.
"The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives. This is in line with international law and we are publishing a summary of our legal advice,” he said.
Counter-drone defensive action
Starmer framed the turnaround on use of British bases for military strikes in Iran as a “defensive action”. Speaking before the drone attack on the Akrotiri base, he said the UK will work with Ukrainian drone experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones.
"We are not joining these strikes but will continue with our defensive actions in the region. And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own counter-drone expertise to help our Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.”
Remembering Iraq
In a nod to the UK’s involvement in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and subsequent sketchy efforts to manage regime change with its US-led allies, Starmer said:
"I want to be very clear: We all remember the mistakes of Iraq. And we have learned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran. And we will not join offensive action now.
"But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. So we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region. Because that is our duty to the British people.”
He concluded that this was the best way to eliminate the urgent threat, prevent the situation from spiralling further while protecting British interests and British lives.