Britain’s defense secretary says urgent measures are being taken to protect British interests in the Middle East, as tensions rise between the U.S. and Iran.
Ben Wallace said that the British government is looking at the implications of the vote in the Iraqi parliament that called for foreign troops. That came after a U.S. airstrike killed a top Iranian general shortly after he arrived at Baghdad’s international airport. Iran has vowed to retaliate.
Wallace told lawmakers: “Our commitment to Iraq’s stability and sovereignty is unwavering and we urge the Iraqi government to ensure the coalition is able to continue our work countering this shared threat,” in a reference to the Islamic State group.
He said British forces in the region are on standby, while non-essential personnel have been relocated from Baghdad to the city of Taji, around 30 kilometers to the north.
Wallace said: “A small team has been sent to the region to provide additional situational awareness and contingency planning assistance.”
British warships, helicopters and several hundred military personnel have been put on standby of 48 hours or less for deployment in or near Iraq, ready to respond as the Iran crisis escalates.
Tensions in the aftermath of the US assassination of Gen Qassem Suleimani led to Iran firing a salvo of missiles on Tuesday night at Al-Asad airbase in Iraq’s Anbar province, which hosts a US contingent, hitting it at least six times.
The backup forces – including a handful of twin-engine Chinook helicopters – could be used to evacuate British troops if the security situation in Iraq worsens further.
The disclosure of the numbers involved is also designed to put Tehran on notice, with the additional details emerging shortly after Wallace informed MPs that the UK would respond if Britons were killed by Iran or any of its proxies.
