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British ships put on standby in Gulf, minister tells MPs British military on standby to deploy to Gulf 'within 48 hours'
(about 4 hours later)
Parliament told UK has taken ‘urgent measures’ to protect British interests in Middle East ‘Urgent measures’ taken to protect UK interests amid rising tensions with Iran, MPs told
British ships and helicopters have been placed on standby in the Middle East in case there is a further military escalation of the Iran crisis, the defence minister told MPs in the Commons. British warships, helicopters and several hundred military personnel have been put on standby of 48 hours or less for deployment in or near Iraq, to respond if there is a further military escalation of the Iran crisis.
Ben Wallace said the UK had taken “urgent measures” to protect British nationals and interests in Iraq and other nearby countries should Iran retaliate after the assassination last week of Qassem Suleimani. The backup forces – including a handful of twin-engine Chinook helicopters – could be used to evacuate British troops if the security situation in Iraq dramatically worsens in the aftermath of the US assassination of Gen Qassem Suleimani.
The cabinet minister said it was necessary to “change the readiness of our forces”, which include an estimated 400 troops in Iraq, and two warships, the HMS Montrose and the HMS Defender in the Persian Gulf. But the disclosure of the numbers involved is also designed to put Tehran on notice, with the additional details emerging shortly after Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, told MPs that the UK would respond if Britons were killed by Iran or any of its proxies.
Wallace was updating MPs for the first time since Friday’s killing of Suleimani, which put the region in turmoil, and raised fears the conflict would escalate further during a debate in which Boris Johnson was conspicuously absent. “If British civilians were killed or even military personnel as a result of Iranian or terrorist action, we would look at the response. The response would no doubt be proportionate,” said Wallace, as parliament returned from the Christmas break.
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, asked about the whereabouts of the prime minister, and accused Johnson of “hiding behind his defence secretary”. He also pressed Wallace on whether he believed the killing of Suleimani was legal. Britain has 400 troops in Iraq at present, currently focused on protecting themselves in the aftermath of the controversial killing by an American drone strike that has prompted speculation that Tehran will seek to hit back at western interests.
Wallace said: “Funnily enough, the prime minister is running the country, something the leader of the opposition will fail to ever do” and said Johnson believed cabinet members should answer questions where appropriate. Two British warships are already stationed near the Gulf, the HMS Montrose and the HMS Defender, which are ready to escort British flagged oil tankers through the strait of Hormuz if required.
The defence secretary came closer than ever before to endorsing the US action. “From the information and intelligence I have seen it is clear that there is a case for self defence to be made, about an individual who had come to Iraq to co-ordinate murder and attacks on US citizens.” On Friday, Wallace updated MPs for the first time since the killing of Suleimani, and faced questions about whether he believed the drone strike outside Baghdad airport had been legal.
The US has repeatedly said it launched the drone strike that killed Suleimani after receiving intelligence he was planning attacks on its country’s personnel in Iraq, without providing further details. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, asked: “So does the government regard the assassination as legal under international law? If so, how? And do the lawyers in the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence regard it as legal?
The minister also promised to “issue guidance imminently” to oil tankers and other British flagged merchant shipping passing through the strait of Hormuz and said the threat was being reviewed “on a daily basis”. “If he really believes this was an act of self defence, what evidence has he or the prime minister seen of the imminent attack on the US?”
Over the weekend, ministers had announced that the Montrose and the Defender would resume the military escort of shipping if requested. Patrols had been halted in November, when it had been thought that tensions with Iran were easing. The US has repeatedly said it launched the drone strike that killed Suleimani after receiving intelligence he was planning attacks on American personnel in Iraq, without providing further details.
Earlier on Tuesday, defence sources said that about 50 British personnel had been relocated out of Baghdad’s secure Green Zone, either to nearby Camp Taji, 24 miles (40km) north of the Iraqi capital, or out of the country. “From the information and intelligence I have seen it is clear that there is a case for self defence to be made, about an individual [Suleimani] who had come to Iraq to coordinate murder and attacks on US citizens,” Wallace said.
Meanwhile, about 20 military planners have already flown in to help prepare for a range of scenarios, from a deepening of the conflict with Iran to a full departure from the country. They were engaged in “contingency planning”, Wallace told MPs. Johnson was absent from the debate. The prime minister has not appeared in public since returning from holiday in the Caribbean over the weekend – prompting Corbyn to accuse Johnson of “hiding behind his defence secretary”.
The redeployment – which has already been completed – means that the UK’s overall contribution to coalition troop numbers in Iraq remains at about 400, with the majority based with Australian forces at Camp Taji. Wallace hit back, saying: “Funnily enough, the prime minister is running the country, something the leader of the opposition will fail to ever do.” Wallace said Johnson believed cabinet members should answer questions where appropriate.
British forces in Iraq stopped training Iraqi soldiers in countering Isis terrorism on Sunday and the forces are focused on “force protection” – protecting themselves from local reprisals, particularly from pro-Iran militas. Wallace also promised to “issue guidance imminently” to oil tankers and other British flagged merchant shipping passing through the strait of Hormuz and said the threat was being reviewed on a daily basis.
Defence sources also said that about 50 British personnel had been ordered out of Baghdad’s secure Green Zone, and relocated for their own safety to either Camp Taji, 24 miles (40km) north of the Iraqi capital, or out of the country.
Meanwhile, about 20 military planners have flown to Iraq to help prepare for a range of scenarios, from an escalation of conflict with Iran to a full departure of British forces from the country. They were engaged in “contingency planning”, Wallace told MPs.
The deployment means that the UK’s overall contribution to coalition troop numbers in Iraq remains at about 400, with the majority stationed alongside Australian forces at Camp Taji.
On Sunday, British forces in Iraq halted their work helping train Iraqi soldiers to counter Islamic State. The soldiers are now focused on “force protection” – guarding themselves against potential local reprisals, particularly from pro-Iran militias.
Meanwhile, Rob Macaire, the UK ambassador to Iran, was summoned to meet the Iranian European affairs minister after Johnson said he did not lament Suleimani’s death and the UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said the UK was on “the same page” as the US.
Following the meeting, IRNA – the semi-official Iranian news agency – reported a foreign ministry spokesman as saying “the people and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarded the positions adopted by the British government constitute an alliance with a US terrorist act. It cannot be justified and accepted, and with such positions Britain can be a partner in this crime.”
Although the remarks do not mean that British troops would be regarded as legitimate targets in any potential Iranian reprisals, the summons underlines the risks UK ministers take in trying to remain politically aligned with the inconsistent Trump administration.
Privately, some British ministers regard Trump’s decision to launch the strike against Suleimani as erratic, but the UK cannot afford to be seen as being out of step with its closest long-term ally, not least when US-UK trade talks are due to commence.
Capita, the firm that handles recruitment for British army, said that they saw the highest number of applications to join in a single day on Monday. The heightened interest is likely tied to the possibility of conflict with Iran. Army recruitment traditionally increases when people believe there is a possibility of war.