LONDON

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said he stands by his decision not to involve the UK in bombing raids on Iran carried out by the US and Israel.

Starmer gave MPs an update on the situation in Iran in the House of Commons.

He reiterated that the UK was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and said the decision was "deliberate" because the government believes the best outcome is a "negotiated settlement" instead.

"We are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes. The basis for our decision is the collective self-defense of longstanding friends and allies and protecting British lives," he said.

He pointed to criticism from US President Donald Trump before saying: "It is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I've done and I stand by it."

Trump said that Starmer had “taken too long” to grant the US access to British bases, according to a report by The Telegraph.

“This is probably something that has never happened before between our countries… We are very disappointed with Keir,” he said.

However, Starmer drew a distinction between the start of the conflict and the current situation, adding: "It is clear that Iran's outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests and our allies, and it cannot be ignored."

Starmer said there were an estimated 200,000 British citizens in the Middle East and described the risks to them from Iran as “deeply concerning.

He also referred to attacks that have affected UK forces in the region.

The premier pointed to a military base in Bahrain that was hit by Iran on Saturday, where 300 troops were "within a few hundred yards of the strike."

He then turned to a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in the Greek Cypriot Administration overnight.

The prime minister confirmed nobody was hurt and said: "It is important for me to say that our bases in Cyprus are not being used by US bombers. I want to be clear. The strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was not in response to any decision that we have taken. In our assessment, the drone was launched prior to our announcement."