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.

That came after the US and Israel bombed Iran in a wave of strikes which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei as well as other senior regime officials.

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.

“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.

“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.

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.”

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.”