General Sir Richard Shirreff warned Sky News that the Americans’ lack of strategy following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran could have far-reaching consequences for anyone who gets involved.
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Trump has lashed out at Keir Starmer after the prime minister hesitated over US requests to use British military bases to attack Iran.
Former deputy supreme allied commander of Nato, Sir Richard suggested to Sky News that it was not wise for Britain to get involved in the war.
He said any idea of a “special relationship” between the UK and US does not exist, adding: “It is a complete fantasy. America does what America wants to do and Britain’s got to look after its interests.”
“Britain shooting drones, Britain engaging in offensive or defensive operations is invidious, frankly,” the former commander continued. “We should not in any way, shape or form, be involved with the Americans closely because they are being led by a couple of gung-ho nutters, like Trump and [US Secretary of War Pete] Hegseth, without a proper strategy, without serious thought about what end-state for this war is.”
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“Unless we keep cool heads, as the prime minister is attempting to do, and think things through very very carefully this thing could go in the way of Iraq,” he said.
“Yet again we have an American president who has gone to war, a war of choice, a war of hubris frankly, without any clear idea of how the war ends, without a clear strategy.”
Starmer has so far managed to draw a distinctive line between the UK and the US’s aggression, even though Britain has just sent a warship to Cyprus.
Similarly, Sir Richard said: “The Americans might be getting frightfully excited about sinking submarines, X number of missions bombing the Iranians to bits, but unless there’s a strategy, unless they have thought about what they are doing on the minds of the Iranian people, this thing is going to go south very quickly.”
He said: “The idea of assassinating the Ayatollah, Khamenei, not just Iran’s head of state but the religious symbol for Shiites worldwide during the month of Ramadan, is about as subtle as murdering the Pope on the steps of St Peter’s during holy week.
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“It will enflame the Shiite world and what you’re doing by doing that is probably putting large numbers of Iranians who might have been reconcilable back into the folds of the irreconcilable.”
Some MPs have divided the internet after they were filmed dancing in parliament even as the crisis in the Middle East rages.
Parliamentarians, including the Speaker of the Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, gathered in Portcullis House on Wednesday morning while Strictly Come Dancing stars Angela Rippon and Alex Kingston showed them some moves.
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The event was meant to promote how dancing can boost health and wellbeing, but others have slammed the gathering for being insensitive.
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Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Tehran’s retaliatory strikes have pulled the whole of the Middle East into disarray.
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The UK is currently weighing up how to defend its own military base in Cyprus following an Iranian drone attack.
Keir Starmer has already given the US permission to use its British bases to target Iran, too.
International affairs aside, MPs have also come under scrutiny this week after the independent expenses watchdog announced their basic salary will rise by 5% to £98,599 in April.
So people have, naturally, been questioning the timing of this dance lesson while clips of jubiliant MPs have been repeatedly on social media.
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The Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle and Angela Rippon lead a dancing class in Parliament’s Portcullis House with MPs. So while global conflicts rage and the UK endures a cost of living crisis, it’s heartening to see our MPs having a dance. FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF
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FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) March 4, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1280,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/2029139052285300736/img/xu6qmfcAj_nfpzWV.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"James Melville 🚜 on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/2029202319875731579","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryTagsList":"social-media,iran","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Social Media","slug":"social-media","links":{"relativeLink":"news/social-media","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media"},"relegenceId":4993943,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media/"},{"name":"Iran","slug":"iran","links":{"relativeLink":"news/iran","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran"},"relegenceId":3686717,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
The Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle and Angela Rippon lead a dancing class in Parliament’s Portcullis House with MPs. So while global conflicts rage and the UK endures a cost of living crisis, it’s heartening to see our MPs having a dance. FFS.pic.twitter.com/V4Ze6Rm1cF
At a time when war is brewing in the Middle East and the mood in the United Kingdom feels increasingly fractured, seeing MPs ballroom dancing feels tone-deaf. https://t.co/uhsqhF8Pr2
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Bianco Zhivago","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Bianco_Zhivago","cache_age":86400,"description":"First. Optically, this looks bad. At a time when war is brewing in the Middle East and the mood in the United Kingdom feels increasingly fractured, seeing MPs ballroom dancing feels tone-deaf. https://t.co/uhsqhF8Pr2— Bianco Zhivago (@Bianco_Zhivago) March 4, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Bianco Zhivago on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Bianco_Zhivago/status/2029185634665951322","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryTagsList":"social-media,iran","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Social Media","slug":"social-media","links":{"relativeLink":"news/social-media","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media"},"relegenceId":4993943,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media/"},{"name":"Iran","slug":"iran","links":{"relativeLink":"news/iran","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran"},"relegenceId":3686717,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
At a time when war is brewing in the Middle East and the mood in the United Kingdom feels increasingly fractured, seeing MPs ballroom dancing feels tone-deaf. https://t.co/uhsqhF8Pr2
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Entirely normal behaviour when the world is at war. My parents shared fond memories of the newsreel coverage of Chamberlain and Churchill jitterbugging in the Parliamentary dance class of 1940. https://t.co/3lPl3nYEg2
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Entirely normal behaviour when the world is at war. My parents shared fond memories of the newsreel coverage of Chamberlain and Churchill jitterbugging in the Parliamentary dance class of 1940. https://t.co/3lPl3nYEg2
Latest scenes from Parliament. Given the enormity of what is happening in the world presumably it will go viral, globally, and not in a good way as a neat symbol. Meanwhile, British defence spending is only 2.4% of UK GDP. https://t.co/LHvfc77VIF
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Latest scenes from Parliament. Given the enormity of what is happening in the world presumably it will go viral, globally, and not in a good way as a neat symbol. Meanwhile, British defence spending is only 2.4% of UK GDP. https://t.co/LHvfc77VIF
Some social media users said it was time to “lighten up” and suggested voters actually like seeing their politicians prove they know how to have fun on occasion.
I think people having a pop at the MPs doing this need to lighten up. It’s a light hearted event on a very serious subject and all the best to them … even the dad dancers https://t.co/Uj6tThxSUj
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I think people having a pop at the MPs doing this need to lighten up. It’s a light hearted event on a very serious subject and all the best to them … even the dad dancers https://t.co/Uj6tThxSUj
Disagree with the takes implying this is indicative of why people don’t like politics. Look at the politicians people have warmed to – Farage, Rayner, Johnson (remember the zip wire), Polanski, Spencer: they’re politicians not afraid to show they have fun. The reason people… https://t.co/wAStrvHCAC
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Luke Tryl","author_url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl","cache_age":86400,"description":"Disagree with the takes implying this is indicative of why people don’t like politics. Look at the politicians people have warmed to – Farage, Rayner, Johnson (remember the zip wire), Polanski, Spencer: they’re politicians not afraid to show they have fun. The reason people… https://t.co/wAStrvHCAC— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) March 4, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Luke Tryl on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/LukeTryl/status/2029164841861095819","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/mps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","entryTagsList":"social-media,iran","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"Social Media","slug":"social-media","links":{"relativeLink":"news/social-media","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media"},"relegenceId":4993943,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/social-media/"},{"name":"Iran","slug":"iran","links":{"relativeLink":"news/iran","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran"},"relegenceId":3686717,"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/iran/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fmps-split-social-media-by-dancing-in-parliament-with-strictly-stars_uk_69a84c35e4b0b7f2ce604ec1%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
Disagree with the takes implying this is indicative of why people don’t like politics. Look at the politicians people have warmed to – Farage, Rayner, Johnson (remember the zip wire), Polanski, Spencer: they’re politicians not afraid to show they have fun. The reason people… https://t.co/wAStrvHCAC
Meanwhile others took the chance to joke about U-turns…something Keir Starmer has become very famous for, having chalked up more than a dozen since being elected in July 2024…
The American president said “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with” after Starmer initially refused to let the US use British bases to launch their attacks amid concerns the strikes broke international law.
The PM eventually changed his mind after Iran began bombing countries across the Middle East, putting British lives at risk.
Advertisement
Trump’s Oval Office comments mark a new low in the so-called “special relationship” between America and the United Kingdom.
Referring to the UK military base at Diego Garcia, he said: “That island… It’s taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised.
“This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
🚨 WATCH: Donald Trump again attacks Keir Starmer and the UK’s immigration policy
\"The UK has been very, very uncooperative… they are ruining relationships, it’s a shame… windmills are ruining their country… you have Sharia courts adjudicating law\" pic.twitter.com/YctAFJde2Z
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Politics UK","author_url":"https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK","cache_age":86400,"description":"🚨 WATCH: Donald Trump again attacks Keir Starmer and the UK’s immigration policy\"The UK has been very, very uncooperative… they are ruining relationships, it’s a shame… windmills are ruining their country… you have Sharia courts adjudicating law\" pic.twitter.com/YctAFJde2Z— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) March 3, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":748,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/2028884728707784705/img/H1OSX0qO-hlJHATH.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1342,"title":"Politics UK on Twitter / 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🚨 WATCH: Donald Trump again attacks Keir Starmer and the UK’s immigration policy
“The UK has been very, very uncooperative… they are ruining relationships, it’s a shame… windmills are ruining their country… you have Sharia courts adjudicating law” pic.twitter.com/YctAFJde2Z
Trump’s comments are just latest criticism he has aimed at Starmer since America and Israel’s attacks on Iran began at the weekend.
In an interview with the Telegraph on Monday, the president said he was “very disappointed” in the PM.
That prompted Starmer to hit back in the Commons, telling MPs: “President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes.
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“But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”
In another dig at the US president, Starmer said: “This government does not believe in regime change from the skies.”
Trump responded in an interview with The Sun in which he said the PM “has not been helpful”.
“I never thought I’d see that,” he said. “I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the UK.”
He added: “It’s not going to matter, but [Starmer] should have helped… he should have.
“I mean, France has been great. They’ve all been great. The UK has been much different from others.”
Trump continued: “You’ve seen the secretary general of NATO, the great things he said, Mark Rutte, he’s great.
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“No, they’ve all been pretty much great other than…we think Keir’s was just very different.”
The president said the spat over Iran meant “it’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before”.
Hegseth joined in with this condemnation during a press conference on Monday.
“Israel has clear missions as well for which we are grateful,” he said. “Capable partners are good partners.
“Unlike so many of traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force.
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“America, regardless of what so called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air fire campaign in history.”
Starmer announced on Sunday night that the UK would allow the US to use British bases to target Iranian weapons storage depots and missile launch sites.
He said he was “protecting British interests and British lives” after Iran launched missile attacks on countries across the Middle East.
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Speaking in the Commons, the prime minister said: “President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes.
“But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”
Keir Starmer has given the United States permission to use UK military bases to attack targets in Iran.
The prime minister said he was “protecting British interests and British lives” after Iran launched missile attacks on countries across the Middle East.
In a statement from Downing Street, Starmer insisted the UK was not involved in the initial attacks on Iran – and that its actions did not break international law.
He said: “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.
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“It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.
“This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.”
It is understood the US will use British bases at RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to carry out their strikes.
Starmer said there are around 200,000 British citizens in the Gulf region, and that Iran’s actions were putting their lives at risk.
“Over the last two days, Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them,” he said.
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“They have hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. This is clearly a dangerous situation.”
Iran also hit a military base in Bahrain on Saturday, “narrowly missing British personnel”, the PM said.
British jets are already taking part in “defensive” operations in the region, Starmer said.
But he said the only way to stop the Iranian attacks was to target storage depots and the launchers use to fire missiles.
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The PM said: “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.”
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Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticised Starmer’s decision.
Posting on X, he said: “It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria.”
It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria. https://t.co/IhCUF9XJ3m
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It took just one phone call from Donald Trump for Starmer to jump into yet another Middle East illegal war, failing to learn the lessons of the tragedies of Iraq, Libya and Syria. https://t.co/IhCUF9XJ3m
Israel said the attacks were “pre-emptive” to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and firing at them.
In his statement announcing the bombing, Trump said: “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
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But Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s international affairs editor, dismissed those arguments.
He said: “Israel used the word ‘pre-emptive’ to justify its attack – the largest in the Israeli Air Force’s history, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
“The evidence is that this is not a response to an imminent threat, which the word pre-emption implies. Instead, it is a war of choice.”
The military action, Bowen said, was “another blow to the tottering system of international law”.
He added: “In their statements, both Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran was a danger to their countries – Trump said it was a global danger.
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“The Islamic regime is certainly their bitter enemy. But it is hard to see how the legal justification of self-defence applies given the huge disparity of power between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.”
Bowen also warned that Trump’s stated objective of regime change in Iran will be far from straightforward – and could lead to a wider conflict in the Middle East.
He said: “There is no precedent for regime change happening just because of air strikes.
“Even if this becomes the first case of air power alone collapsing a regime, the Islamic regime will not be replaced by a liberal democracy that upholds human rights. There is no credible alternative government in exile waiting in the wings.”
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The Middle East expert went on: “Iran’s remaining leaders will now be calculating how to ride out the war, how to survive and how to manage its consequences.
“Their neighbours, led by Saudi Arabia, will be dismayed by the huge uncertainty and potential consequences of today’s events.
“Given the capacity of the Middle East to export trouble, the eruption of renewed and intensified war deepens the instability of a region and wider world that is already turbulent, violent and dangerous.”
Donald Trump stunned the international stage when he initiated a takeover of Venezuela over the weekend – but this could just be the beginning.
The US president initiated military strikes against the South American country on Saturday and captured its president, Nicolas Maduro, before indicting him on narco-terrorism charges.
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Trump has since promised to “run” Venezuela until a safe transition of power can take place.
The US president has also made it clear that he wants to expand America’s president internationally, and revive the 19th-Century idea known as the Monroe Doctrine, designed to keep Europe out of the Western Hemisphere.
He said his modern-day equivalent would be called the “Don-roe Doctrine” and establish US dominance over the whole hemisphere, backed by military strength.
He has repeatedly threatened to take action against other territories, both in South America and outside of it, particularly those run by leftist governments.
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While UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s top team insists the idea of Trump seizing other countries is just “hypothetical”, the US president has openly been welcoming the idea of initiating action against other countries.
Here’s what you need to know.
Colombia
Speaking on Monday, Trump said: “Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States and he’s going to be doing it good for very long, let me tell you.”
Asked if that meant there would be a US operation into Colombia, he said: “Sounds good to me.”
It comes after Trump told his cabinet in December that military strikes on land targets inside Venezuela would “start very soon”.
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As he claimed any country producing narcotics could be a potential target, he called out Colombia – even though the nation has been working with the US government for decades on its war on drugs.
Trump said Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro had to “watch his ass”.
Petro has already been slapped with sanctions by the US administration following claims that he has been involved with the global drug trade.
But Petro warned the White House: “To threaten our sovereignty is to declare war; do not damage two centuries of diplomatic relations.”
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He added: “I deeply reject Trump speaking without knowing; my name does not appear in the judicial files on drug trafficking over 50 years, neither from before nor from the present.”
Trump’s comments could also have been related to the upcoming presidential elections in Colombia, where leftist Petro will be prevented from running again, according to the constitution – so the US might back a right-wing candidate.
Greenland
Trump has long had his eye on Greenland for its advantageous location and its untapped oil supplies.
But, as part of Denmark, it is Nato territory – meaning Trump could run into major trouble if he attempts to seize it.
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The US president told The Atlantic on Sunday: “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”
Former Trump administrational official Katie Miller also posted a map of Greenland on social media covered with the US flag, along with the caption: “SOON.”
But Danish PM Mette Frederiksen said Trump has “no right to annex” the land, and the States already has access to Greenland through security agreements.
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She said: “I would therefore strongly urge the US to stop threatening a historically close ally and another country and people who have made it very clear that they are not for sale.”
Prime minister Starmer has already made it clear that he stands with Denmark if Trump attempts to move against it.
He said: “Denmark is a close ally in Europe, it is a Nato ally, and it’s very important the future of Greenland is, as I say, for the Kingdom of Denmark, and for Greenland, and only for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark.”
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Other European leaders have also followed suit in backing Denmark.
Cuba
Cuba is under a particularly microscope within the Trump administration especially after US officials claimed Cuban bodyguards were protecting Maduro when he was captured.
Cuba also admitted 32 of its officers were killed in Trump’s military strikes.
Trump told reporters: ”[Cuba] is going down. It’s going down for the count.”
US Secretary of state Marco Rubio claimed the country is “run by incompetent, senile men, and in some cases not seen now, but incompetent nonetheless.”
Rubio – the son of Cuban immigrants – adding: “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit.”
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Cuba has been under US sanctions since its revolution in 1959, and according to Trump, its already struggling economy will face further upheaval without subsidized oil from Venezuela.
The country’s president, Miguel Dias-Canal has already denounced the US capture of Maduro, claiming it is “state terrorism”.
Iran
Iran is enduring a period of domestic unrest, with deadly protests rocking the whole country.
Human rights activists say protests have taken place in at least 26 of Iran’s 31 provinces in the last week, and approximately 19 protesters and one member of the security forces have been killed.
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As its economy struggles following its brief conflict with Israel last year, the public are questioning the Islamic Republic.
Trump has weighed in, promising protesters: “We’re watching it very closely. If they [Iranian authorities] start killing people like they have done in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.”
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he claimed.
It remains unclear exactly what action the US would take against Iran but US bombers were involved in strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
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But supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised Iran “will not yield to the enemy”.
Mexico
Trump also criticised Mexico after his strikes on Venezuela.
“You have to do something with Mexico. Mexico has to get their act together,” the US president said, claiming they must do more to address drug trafficking.
Trump claims to have repeatedly offered to send US troops to Mexico but that president Claudia Sheinbaum has prevented it.
He claimed that she is a “terrific person” but she is “concerned, she’s a little afraid” about military action.
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Trump also said the Mexican government is capable of addressing the issues of the drug trade, but “unfortunately the cartels are very strong in Mexico”.
According to Reuters, Shainbaum has already rejected Trump’s remarks, saying: “The Americas do not belong to any doctrine or any power. The American continent belongs to the peoples of each of the countries that comprise it.
“It is necessary to reaffirm that in Mexico, the people rule and that we are a free and sovereign country-cooperation, yes; subordination and intervention, no.”
It is all “downhill” for Donald Trump from now onwards after his strikes on Iran, according to the BBC’s world affairs editor.
The US president announced overnight that America has “obliterated” three nuclear facilities in Iran, and urged Tehran to come to the negotiating table or face further attacks.
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The move comes after Israel began a week of exchanging fire with Iran.
“I feel last night was a big change, a major turn of the page,” John Simpson said on BBC News. “In one major respect, I think it’s downhill for President Trump from now on.”
The broadcaster continued: “He’s losing the support of the isolationists among the MAGA-supporters, of whom there are a large if not dominant amount.
“He’s done something he promised he wouldn’t do and he’s moving against that, and I think we’ll find that his power will start to diminish after this.”
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In his election campaign, Trump promised to be a peaceful president, and put “America First” by pulling the States out of other countries’ wars.
But many of his supporters now question if that is still his thinking, considering he has just pulled the US into a raging war in conflict.
Simpson also discussed the likelihood of an Iranian response.
He said: “We shouldn’t overestimate Iran’s strengths or its abilities.”
“Yes of course it can do asymmetrical attacks,” he noted, but added that these were “limited small-time” moves which are not “population-threatening”.
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“We shouldn’t be too scared about Iran’s likely retaliation,” he said.
Simpson sent a similar message on X, saying: “As a result of his bombing of Iran, Trump’s presidency has entered new and much more conflicted territory.
“The US isolationist right are already criticising him. Trump could now be involved in precisely the kind of war he blamed his predecessors for.”
As a result of his bombing of Iran, Trump’s presidency has entered new and much more conflicted territory. The US isolationist right are already criticising him. Trump could now be involved in precisely the kind of war he blamed his predecessors for.
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Trump could now be involved in precisely the kind of war he blamed his predecessors for.— John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) June 22, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"John Simpson on Twitter / 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As a result of his bombing of Iran, Trump’s presidency has entered new and much more conflicted territory. The US isolationist right are already criticising him. Trump could now be involved in precisely the kind of war he blamed his predecessors for.
Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Dan Caine on Sunday said that while the bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites successfully struck all three targets and did “extremely severe” damage, exactly to what extent Iran’s nuclear program has been set back cannot be known yet.
“It would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there,” the career Air Force officer said at the joint news conference at the Pentagon with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
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His assessment offered a stark contrast with the boasts of both President Donald Trump in remarks Saturday night and with Hegseth just moments earlier. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said.
“It was an incredible and overwhelming success. The order we received from our commander in chief was focused. It was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” Hegseth said in remarks that praised Trump effusively while also disparaging former President Joe Biden’s administration. “Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.”
Caine, meanwhile, primarily praised the crews of the 125 aircraft that took part in “Operation Midnight Hammer,” including the seven B-2 stealth bombers from an Air Force base in Missouri that dropped 14 “bunker buster” bombs on the underground site at Fordow, the dozens of tanker planes that refuelled them, and the fighter planes that flew ahead of the bombers to ensure their safety. He said it did not appear that any of the planes were fired upon by Iranian air defense systems.
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He also praised the coordination of aircraft with submarines that launched Tomahawk missiles, with all three targets getting hit over a span of just 25 minutes.
“I want to thank every service member, planner, operator, that made this mission possible. Their actions reflect the highest standards of the United States Armed Forces,” Caine said.
In his remarks, Hegseth appeared to confirm suspicions that Trump had been dishonest in his claims that he wanted negotiations rather than a military response.
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“This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the president of the United States called,” Hegseth said. “It took a great deal of precision, involved misdirection and the highest level of operational security.”
Donald Trump is currently considering whether to join Israel in bombing Iran – a seismic decision which could cause chaos across the Middle East and beyond.
The UK is particularly nervous to see what the mercurial president does next, knowing that there may well be pressure for Britain to assist America, as one of its closest allies.
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So as much of the West and the Middle East nervously await news from the White House, here’s a look back at just how we ended up on this knife-edge…
Why has Israel been bombing Iran?
Israel claims it had no option but to attack Iran because Tehran was close to developing nuclear weapons.
The Fordo nuclear site is one of two facilities where Iran can enrich uranium. It’s build into a mountain for safety, 124 miles south of Tehran.
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While the facility has been hit by Israel’s recent attacks, it’s thought the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) was actually trying to weaken Iran’s defence capabilities around the facility.
Only one conventional weapon could actually destroy the fortified site, and it belong to the US.
Smoke rises up after Israel’s attack, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
via Associated Press
Is Iran on the cusp of developing a nuclear bomb?
It’s not clear.
To build such a bomb, a country would need to have uranium enriched to 90%, the ability to build a warhead and a way to direct that warhead to an end point.
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While Iran is definitely working on some nuclear capabilities, it has always insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
In March, Trump’s director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that “while Iran had an unprecedented stockpile of weapons-grade uranium, it did not appear to be building a nuclear weapon”.
But Trump has dismissed this intelligence.
Israel has also claimed “over the past few months intelligence has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon”.
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Meanwhile, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced earlier this month that Iran had breached its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost two decades.
It concluded that Iran has amassed around 400kg of uranium enriched to 60% – that’s more than is required for civil nuclear use.
Is Israel a nuclear power?
Israel is believed to have up to 90 nuclear warheads, but the country has not confirmed or denied whether that is true.
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Israel is also not part of the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty meant to prevent more countries – like Iran – from building their own weapons.
Smokes raises from a building of the Soroka hospital complex after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran in Beersheba, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025.
via Associated Press
Why were there already tensions between Israel and Iran?
Tensions in the Middle East rose sharply in October 2023 when Iranian-backed militants Hamas crossed from Gaza into Israel and killed 1,200 people, taking a further 250 captive.
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Israel declared war on Hamas, launched a ground offensive and imposed a blockade on aid heading into the Palestinian territory.
The Hamas-run health ministry say at least 54,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
After Israel declared war, other Iranian proxies – like Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon – began to fight Israel.
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The US, Israel’s most powerful friend, has helped to subdue these attacks in recent months, while other allies like the UK, continue to send Israel weapons.
Iran is also weakened after the deposition of Syria’s leader Bashar al-Assad, although that was not a result of Israeli actions.
What was Iran’s nuclear deal – and why did it fall apart?
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, was put in place in 2015.
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Iran agreed with the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow international inspectors in to monitor their work.
In exchange, world powers would lift the economic sanctions it placed on the country.
The deal was due to expire in 2031 but it began to fall apart in May 2018 when Trump pulled out.
He claimed the accord was “defective at its core” and reinstated all US sanctions on Iran.
Trump wanted to force Tehran into a tougher deal which would limit Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts.
Iran rejected that plan even as the sanctions triggered a recession and skyrocketing inflation.
In 2019, Tehran began to exceed the deal’s restrictions on its nuclear programme, blaming the US for its own “non-performance”.
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Joe Biden tried to revive the JCPOA in 2021 when he was elected as president, but Iran said it was waiting for the US to lift sanctions first.
When he left office and Trump was re-elected, the US was expected to resume nuclear talks with Iran this month.
However, Israel’s recent strikes have set back any potential talks.
Why would the US (and possibly the UK) join the regional conflict?
Trump initially called for de-escalation, but he has also called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and threatened to attack its supreme leader whom he claims is an “easy target”.
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Asked if he would join in with the attacks, Trump said on Wednesday night: “I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
The US may seek the UK’s permission to use the British airbase in the Chagos Islands to launch its mission.
But Trump risks putting American lives at risk if he does target Iran.
There are about 40-50,000 US troops at around 19 locations across the Middle East who could be vulnerable to attack.
