British military personnel are being withdrawn from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US air base in the Middle East, as tensions escalate following President Donald Trump’s warnings of “very strong action” against Iran. This move comes amid threats and retaliatory warnings from Tehran in a rapidly intensifying geopolitical standoff.
President Trump has condemned Iran’s harsh crackdown on anti-government protests and threatened support for those opposing the regime. He declared, “help is on its way” if Iran proceeds with planned executions of demonstrators. In response, Iran has firmly stated it will retaliate by targeting US military installations across the region if attacked.
Alongside the UK’s withdrawal, the US has begun partially evacuating personnel from the strategic Al Udeid Air Base. A US official, speaking anonymously, described the evacuation as a precautionary measure but declined to offer further details.
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Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour warned of a “decisive response” to the deaths of Iranian security forces, framing the US and Israel as responsible for orchestrating the protests and the resulting violence, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
In the UK, political leaders have condemned the Iranian regime’s actions. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticized the “sickening repression and murder” of protesters during Prime Minister’s Questions, affirming the government’s commitment to collaborating with allies on imposing additional sanctions against Tehran. Thousands of demonstrators have reportedly been killed amid the regime’s violent crackdown.
Following these statements, the UK government announced new sanctions aimed at crippling Iran’s oil, energy, financial, transport, and technological sectors that support nuclear escalation. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper summoned the Iranian ambassador to register the UK’s condemnation and outline these measures.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the UK does not comment on basing details for operational security reasons but emphasized that precautionary measures, including withdrawals, are taken to safeguard personnel.