Could the UK get dragged into war with Iran?
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 4 March 2026
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Last month, Sir Keir Starmer made it clear that the US would not be permitted to use UK bases to launch strikes against Iran. On Sunday, that position shifted. Not only has the UK now allowed the use of joint bases, it is also intercepting Iranian drones, and sources have told The Times that a British warship may be deployed to Cyprus. As tensions in the Middle East escalate, is Britain being drawn ever deeper into the conflict? And how might this end?
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Guests:
- Michael Evans, defence contributor, The Times
- General Sir Patrick Sanders, former Chief of the General Staff and co-host of The General & the Journalist, one of our sister podcasts
Host: Rosie Wright
Producers: Sophie McNulty & Olivia Case
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Read more: Special relationship ‘not what it once was’, as Trump rebukes PM on Iran
Further listening: Iran after the Ayatollah
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Transcript
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| 0:36.2 | From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. |
| 0:40.5 | I'm Rosie Wright. |
| 0:44.3 | Last month, Secere Stama seemed very sure of his position. |
| 0:49.2 | The US would not be allowed to use the UK's bases for any strikes against Iran. |
| 0:55.7 | Kirst Starma, according to the Times today, has apparently blocked a request from Donald Trump |
| 0:59.9 | to allow American planes to use British air bases to attack Iran. |
| 1:04.9 | The British Prime Minister claims that allowing such operations to take place would breach |
| 1:08.4 | international law. |
| 1:10.4 | And then this week came the pivot. |
| 1:12.6 | Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy. |
| 1:16.6 | So we are supporting the collective self-defense of our allies and our people in the region. |
| 1:24.6 | We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive |
| 1:31.3 | actions in the region. So the UK will now allow the US to use its bases to bomb Iranian |
| 1:38.4 | missile launch sites. There are also British jets flying in the region to intercept Iranian drones, and Britain is sending a warship to Cyprus. |
| 1:49.2 | It is clear that Iran's outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests and our allies. |
| 1:58.0 | And it cannot be ignored. |
... |
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