London: The UK Government has reiterated its current opposition to taking any military action against Iran, following the disclosure that Britain has rebuffed US requests to use UK military bases to support the buildup of forces in the Gulf.
Downing Street officials maintained that British government does not believe military action against the Middle Eastern country would be appropriate at the moment.
“We are working closely with the US with regard to UK bases but the government does not think military action is the right course at this point of time,” The Guardian quoted British officials, as saying.
According to the paper, the UK has pointed US officials to legal advice drafted by the attorney general`s office, which has been circulated to Downing Street, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence.
Earlier, the UK had rebuffed US’ plea citing secret legal advice, which states that any pre-emptive strike on Iran could be in breach of international law.
“The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran. It is explicit. The government has been using this to push back against the Americans,” said a senior Whitehall source.
US diplomats have also lobbied for the use of British bases in Cyprus, and for permission to fly from US bases on Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, both of which are British territories, the paper said.
ANI
