UK refuses to blindly follow US in Iran conflict, citing Iraq war lessons, while allowing limited defensive military support.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended the UK’s independent foreign policy, rejecting calls to automatically align with U.S. actions in the Iran conflict. She emphasized that national interests, not blind allegiance, must guide decisions, citing lessons from the Iraq War. Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially withheld approval for U.S. military strikes from UK bases but later allowed defensive operations from RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia. The UK is preparing the HMS Prince of Wales carrier and deploying surveillance assets, though no offensive deployment has been confirmed. Criticism has emerged over delays in reinforcing a UK base in Cyprus after a drone attack, with some Conservative MPs accusing the government of poor planning. Downing Street maintains the special relationship with the U.S. remains strong through intelligence sharing and cooperation.