Trump criticizes Starmer for delaying permission to use Diego Garcia base to strike Iran
US President Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” with the decision of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to allow the US military to use a base on the island of Diego Garcia to strike Iran. He said this in an interview with The Telegraph.
According to Trump, London’s initial refusal to provide access to the base on the Chagos archipelago was unprecedented in relations between the two states.
“This has probably never happened between our countries before. “He seemed to be concerned about the legality,” the US President said.
Initially, the UK refused to use facilities such as Diego Garcia and Fairford, citing international law. However, Starmer later agreed to give the US access to the Diego Garcia base for “specific and limited defence purposes”.
Trump criticised the change in position, saying the British Prime Minister had taken “too long” to make a decision. The dispute over the base also affected Washington’s attitude to the Chagos Archipelago agreement, which provides for the transfer of sovereignty over the territory to Mauritius with the subsequent lease of a military base.
The US President also expressed his belief that London should immediately support the use of the base, since, according to him, Iran is involved in the deaths of “many people from your country.”
As previously reported, Trump announced the start of a large-scale US operation against Iran. Israel also joined the strikes. In response, Iran attacked the territories of several Persian Gulf states where American facilities are located. On the second day after the start of the operation, the US President said that it was “ahead of schedule.”
