United States President Donald Trump says he is “considering” a strike on Iran after having warned that “bad things” would happen if the country didn’t make a nuclear deal
Donald Trump has said he is “considering” a strike in Iran as war fears soar in the Middle East.
Iran held annual military drills with Russia on Thursday as a second American aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East, with both the United States and Iran signalling they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme fizzle out.
Trump has said he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal. But the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider US and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups. Indirect talks held in recent weeks made little visible progress, and one or both sides could be buying time for final war preparations.
Iran’s theocracy is more vulnerable than ever following 12 days of Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear sites and military last year, as well as mass protests in January that were violently suppressed.
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The comments came after the US president warned that “bad things” would happen if Tehran failed to agree to a deal on nuclear weapons during the first Board of Peace meeting in Washington.
Speaking at the meeting, Donald Trump suggested that military action remained a possibility, while also leaving the door open to renewed negotiations.
He said: “We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days.”
In recent weeks, the United States has already increased its military presence in the Middle East, moving aircraft carriers, fighter jets, submarines and other military assets into the region amid rising tensions with Iran.
Against that backdrop, Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to support President Trump’s threats of military intervention, following claims that the Iranian regime has killed more than 7,000 people during recent protests over clerical rule and the country’s struggling economy.
Senior Conservatives said they would back action aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and called on the Prime Minister to allow US forces to use British military bases, including RAF Fairford and facilities on Diego Garcia.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said Iran’s nuclear ambitions continued to pose a serious danger to the UK and its allies.
“Iran’s nuclear programme has been a grave threat to Britain and our allies,” he said. “That is why Conservatives supported the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last summer. Iran must never obtain a nuclear bomb.
“While speculative, if the US judges that further action is needed to deal with that specific threat, and if again we believe such action is in our national interest and to protect vital UK security interests, then we should grant the use of our bases if and where required, including RAF bases in the UK, and Diego Garcia.”
