London, March 1 -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday (local time) said that the UK will permit the United States to use British bases for a "specific and limited defensive purpose" to counter Iranian missile threats, adding that London is not joining offensive strikes against Iran.

This comes after a joint missile strike titled Operation Roaring Lion/Operation Epic Fury by Israel and the United States on Iran on February 28.

Sharing a video message on X addressing escalating tensions in the Gulf, Starmer said, "Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case."

However, he accused Iran of widening the conflict over the past...