U.S., U.K. to discuss use of British base as Iran balks at Trump's threat
#Diego Garcia#Iran nuclear#Trump threat#U.K. bases#Military buildup#Chagos Islands#UN protest#Rubio Cooper meeting
📌 Key Takeaways
Rubio and Cooper to meet in Washington to discuss disagreement over use of British bases for potential Iran attack
Trump threatened to use Diego Garcia and Fairford bases if Iran doesn't make a nuclear deal
U.K. reportedly denied permission for the U.S. to use these bases for strikes on Iran
Iran protested at UN over Trump's threat, calling it a violation of international law
U.S. is building up military presence in the region with two aircraft carrier groups
📖 Full Retelling
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his British counterpart Yvette Cooper were scheduled to meet Friday in Washington to discuss an apparent disagreement over the potential use of British military bases, including Diego Garcia, for any new U.S. attack on Iran amid escalating tensions following President Trump's threat to use these facilities if the Islamic Republic doesn't agree to a new nuclear deal. The diplomatic tension stems from Trump's recent social media posts in which he criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for agreeing to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius while maintaining a 100-year lease for Diego Garcia. Trump called the deal "a big mistake" and warned that "should Iran decide not to make a Deal" with the U.S. on its nuclear program, 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." The Times of London reported that the U.K. government had denied the U.S. permission to use both Diego Garcia and the Royal Air Force's Fairford base in England for new strikes on Iran, though the U.K. Ministry of Defense declined direct comment on operational matters. Meanwhile, Iran has protested at the United Nations over Trump's threat, with its U.N. mission sending a letter to Security Council members calling Trump's statement a "flagrant violation" of the U.N. charter and international law that risked "plunging the region into a new cycle of crisis and instability." The diplomatic friction occurs as President Trump has ordered a significant U.S. military buildup around Iran, including two aircraft carrier strike groups now positioned within striking distance of Iran, though a senior regional official told CBS News that the reluctance of some U.S. allies—including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and UAE—to grant permission for their territory to be used in any strikes may be a factor in the U.S. naval movements.
🏷️ Themes
Diplomatic Relations, Military Posturing, Nuclear Proliferation, International Law
Iran's nuclear program, one of the most scrutinized in the world, has sparked intense international concern. While Iran asserts that its nuclear ambitions are purely for civilian purposes, including energy production, the country historically pursued the secretive AMAD nuclear weapons project (stopp...
Diego Garcia is the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago. It has been used as a joint UK–U.S. military base since the 1970s, following the expulsion of the Chagossians by the UK government. The Chagos Islands are a British overseas territory, though a treaty to transfer sovereignty from the UK t...
The Chagos Archipelago (, also UK: ) or Chagos Islands (formerly Bassas de Chagas, and later the Oil Islands) is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean about 500 kilometres (310 mi) south of the Maldives archipelago. This chain of islands is the southernmost arch...
World U.S. and U.K. to discuss use of Diego Garcia base as Iran protests Trump's threat to use it in an attack By Mariia Kashchenko Mariia Kashchenko Desk Editor Mariia Kashchenko is News Desk Editor at the CBS News London Bureau. Mariia covers breaking news with a focus on the war in Ukraine and international affairs. Read Full Bio Mariia Kashchenko Updated on: February 20, 2026 / 8:19 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his British counterpart were to meet Friday in Washington amid tension between the allies over the future of the remote Chagos Islands, and specifically over the potential use of Britain's Diego Garcia military base on those islands in any new U.S. attack on Iran. President Trump slammed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a social media post this week over a deal reached last year for the U.K. to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius, but to maintain control of Diego Garcia via a 100-year lease. Mr. Trump called it "a big mistake" and urged Starmer not to "give away Diego Garcia," warning in a post on his Truth Social platform that "should Iran decide not to make a Deal" with the U.S. on its nuclear program 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." On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement backing London's agreement with Mauritius for the tiny nation to take sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean territory. But Mr. Trump decried it the following day in his social media post as "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY," making the link to his threat to strike Iran if the Islamic Republic doesn't agree to a new deal to rein in its nuclear program. The Times of London, along with other British news outlets, reported Thursday that the U.K. government had denied the U.S. permission to use both Diego Garcia and the Royal Air Force's Fairford base in Engla...
