Mandelson and the UK decision to withhold permission for US strikes from Diego Garcia and Fairford
The British government has not given permission for the US to use Diego Garcia or RAF Fairford to support potential strikes on Iran, and mandelson appears nowhere in the available details about the decision. The lack of permission has intersected with deployments, presidential comments and a row over the Chagos Islands leaseback.
Permission for US operations from Diego Garcia and Fairford has not been granted
The UK has not agreed to allow the US to launch air strikes from the British Indian Ocean territory of Diego Garcia or from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Under long-standing arrangements, the Pentagon is able to launch operations from those sites and other UK air bases only with advance approval from the British government. That approval has not yet been given for any potential strike on Iran because of concern that such a mission would be a breach of international law. The lack of permission was first reported in national coverage.
UK deployments: six F-35s to Cyprus and four Typhoon jets to Qatar
At the same time as withholding permission, the UK has deployed six F-35 warplanes to Cyprus and sent four Typhoon jets to Qatar. Officials framed those moves as efforts to bolster the UK's own defences should an attack occur. The government also declined to detail operational matters when asked.
US military build-up in the Middle East and the timetable given by the president
President Donald Trump has been surging forces to the Middle East, including two giant aircraft carriers and supporting warships and jets, to widen his options should talks with Iran fail. He said the world would find out "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether the US would reach a deal with Iran or take military action. US plans for possible strikes involve the use of both Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, which hosts a US fleet of heavy bombers.
Mandelson and other figures are not mentioned; role unclear in the provided context
Mandelson is named in the headline requirement but the supplied material does not identify any role or comment from him. Unclear in the provided context whether he has been involved in the decisions over Diego Garcia, RAF Fairford, the Chagos Islands deal or the permission for US operations.
Chagos Islands leaseback, a withdrawn endorsement and a phone call with Sir Keir Starmer
The dispute over permission has overlapped with controversy about a deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia. Donald Trump withdrew his support for the deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer after UK reticence over base use. Mr Trump spoke by phone on a Tuesday evening with the British prime minister; their discussion covered the Iran crisis but did not include the Chagos Islands. The next day the president renewed public attacks on Sir Keir Starmer over the Chagos deal even after the US State Department had said it supported the UK's decision to transfer the territory and lease back Diego Garcia.
Truth Social posts, past use of bases and prior US operations
In a post on his platform, President Trump explicitly referenced the utility of Diego Garcia and Fairford for US military operations against Iran, writing: "Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime. " He added that such an attack "would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly countries, " and wrote: "We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK, but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. "
The US has in the past used RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to carry out strikes in the Middle East. Neither site was used in the US strikes carried out last year on Iran's nuclear facilities; at that time a senior UK defence source said Washington had not sought permission. RAF Fairford and other UK bases were most recently used by the US in support of an operation to seize the registered tanker known as Bella 1 earlier this year.
Insiders believe Pentagon preparations for possible strikes on Iran — which could potentially be launched from Diego Garcia — may have shifted the president's understanding of the island's significance. The British government has said it supports a political process between the US and Iran and that its priority is security in the region.
