Three major European powers are setting up an increased defensive posture in order to defend their allies in the Gulf under assault from Iranian missiles.
In a joint statement on Sunday, leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany said they are “appalled” by Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries, which were launched in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel’s joint military operation against the regime. The three called on Iran to immediately cease the attacks and vowed to defend their “interests and those of our allies in the region.”
This effort will include “enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” the statement said.
“We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this matter,” it added.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer would later announce that as part of this coordination with the United States, he granted the U.S. permission to use British bases to strike Iranian ballistic missile sites.
Such strikes will be limited to missile storage depots or launchers in order to cripple the regime’s missile program “at source,” Starmer said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also convened an emergency meeting of his defense council, in which he said France would “enhance” its “defensive posture” in the region after one of its naval bases was damaged by an Iranian drone in the United Arab Emirates.
It is not clear that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has taken similar steps yet, but he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
The statement is a sign that the conflict is expanding significantly as Iran launches attacks across the region.
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It also marks a pivot from Starmer, Macron, and Merz’s initial position after the U.S. and Israel’s joint operation began.
The three previously called for the resumption of nuclear talks instead of a drawn-out conflict.
