PM urges 200,000 Britons in Gulf to follow Foreign Office advice as Iran attacks escalate
British citizens in the Gulf are being urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office immediately as Iran launches strikes across the region.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there are at least 200,000 British citizens in the area, including residents, families on holiday and people in transit.
He said: “I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.
“I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.”
In a statement on Sunday evening, the PM confirmed Iran had launched sustained attacks on countries across the Gulf that were not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
He said airports and hotels where British citizens are staying had been hit.
A military base in Bahrain was struck, narrowly missing British personnel.
The PM confirmed British jets are in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations and have already intercepted Iranian strikes.
He said the UK had accepted a US request to use British bases for what he described as a “specific and limited defensive purpose” — targeting Iranian missile storage depots and launchers.
He said: “The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives.
“That is in accordance with international law.”
The PM said the UK would not join offensive action and drew a direct comparison with Iraq.
He said: “I want to be very clear: 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.”
Iran’s attacks have hit countries including Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq, according to reports.
British bases in Cyprus were placed under a security threat shortly before midnight on Sunday, with personnel told to return to their homes and take cover, according to the Cyprus Mail.
The PM’s statement referenced the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader but said it had not stopped Iran from launching strikes.
Anyone with family or friends in the Gulf region should check the Foreign Office travel advice pages at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
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