Britain has reiterated its commitment to not engaging in offensive operations against Iran, a stance that follows controversial threats from Donald Trump to bomb the nation's civilian infrastructure.
In an expletive-laden social media post on Sunday, the US president declared that American forces would target Iranian power plants and bridges from Tuesday, should Tehran fail to reopen the crucial shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
These remarks swiftly drew accusations that the president was threatening to commit war crimes.
Responding to the comments on Monday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that it was incumbent upon Mr Trump to clarify his choice of words and his strategy regarding the conflict.
She commented: “It is not language or an approach that this Government would be taking.”
Ms Phillipson added: “Our approach as a UK Government, the approach that the Prime Minister Keir Starmer has set out, is that we are not getting involved in offensive action, we won’t be getting involved in offensive action.”
So far, the UK has limited its involvement in the Iran conflict to defensive action, with RAF jets flying sorties to protect Gulf allies against drone attacks.
Sir Keir Starmer has also given permission for the US to use British bases to launch strikes against Iranian missile sites threatening allies in the region, or shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran’s effective blockade of the strait has become a major factor in the war, causing serious disruption to oil supplies and threatening to destabilise the global economy.
Mr Trump has previously demanded other countries send ships to reopen the strait.
But while the UK is leading on plans for a deployment to secure the shipping lane, operations are unlikely to take place before a ceasefire, given the high risk posed to vessels by Iranian forces in the area.
President Donald Trump welcomed families to the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday morning by boasting about the US military’s rescue mission of a service member who was shot down in an F-15 fighter jet over Iran.
The US president also called Americans who oppose the Iran war “foolish”. He said: “They're foolish, because the war is about one thing – Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
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