LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain has agreed to allow the United States to use British bases to carry out "operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz," according to a Downing Street statement released on Friday.
Britain is working with international partners to develop "a viable plan to safeguard international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," said the statement.
Despite the move, the statement stressed that the UK is committed to "not getting drawn into the wider conflict."
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned his British counterpart Friday against providing any assistance to the U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran, cautioning that such support would fuel further escalation.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East. ■
