Tehran cautions Britain over role in widening conflict
Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom has warned the British government to be “very careful” about becoming more directly involved in the escalating war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
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Seyed Ali Mousavi told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Iran would consider military bases used in attacks against it to be legitimate targets.
His comments come as the UK allows the United States to use British military bases for what ministers describe as defensive operations related to the conflict.
“If facilities or properties or bases are used against the Iranian nation, they will be considered legitimate targets,” Mousavi said.
He added that Iran expected the British government and other countries to act with caution.
“We expect them to be very delicate, very careful,” he said.
UK role limited to defensive support
Britain has so far said it is not directly participating in strikes against Iran.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has permitted the United States to use certain UK bases for operations described as defensive strikes on Iranian missile infrastructure.
British forces have also been involved in intercepting drones and missiles targeting allies in the region.
Mousavi said it was “good” that the UK had not directly joined the attacks.
He suggested Britain may be mindful of lessons from the Iraq War, when the UK supported the United States in military operations that later proved deeply controversial.
Iran signals strikes will continue
Despite diplomatic messages from Tehran suggesting a desire to limit escalation with neighbouring states, the ambassador indicated Iran would continue military operations as long as attacks against it persist.
Iran has launched strikes across the Middle East since the conflict began more than a week ago following US and Israeli attacks.
Countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq have all reported being targeted by Iranian strikes.
A British military installation in Cyprus has also been hit during the conflict.
Asked whether Iran would stop targeting bases outside Israel, Mousavi said Tehran would prefer not to attack neighbouring countries but insisted it had the right to strike locations used in operations against Iran.
“There is willingness from the Iranian side not to strike our neighbours,” he said.
But he added that Iran’s response ultimately depends on the actions of the United States and Israel.
“If the aggression continues, there is no doubt we will defend ourselves.”
President’s apology sparks mixed reactions
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology on Saturday to neighbouring Gulf states affected by the conflict.
Such statements are rare in Iranian diplomacy, and the gesture was seen as an attempt to ease tensions with regional partners.
However, reports suggest the apology has not been universally welcomed inside Iran. Some hardline factions have criticised the tone of the message, describing it as too conciliatory during wartime.
Despite the apology, missile interceptions reported in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday indicate that Iranian attacks have continued.
Interview held at historically symbolic embassy
The ambassador’s remarks were delivered during an interview at the Iranian embassy in London, a building with its own place in the history of tensions between Iran and the West.
The embassy, located near Hyde Park, was the site of the dramatic Iranian Embassy siege.
During that incident, gunmen from an Iranian dissident group took hostages inside the building before British special forces from the Special Air Service stormed the embassy.
Nineteen hostages were rescued, although one person was killed and two others were injured during the operation.
Iran rejects accusations over conflict
Speaking in front of a large banner of Iran’s recently killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei, Mousavi insisted that Iran had not started the conflict.
He said Tehran’s actions were a response to attacks by the United States and Israel.
The ambassador also dismissed calls from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender.
While Tehran has expressed regret for disruption caused to neighbouring countries, Mousavi made clear that Iran would continue targeting Israeli forces and American bases across the region if the war continues.
The conflict has now entered its second week, with missile strikes and air attacks reported across multiple countries in the Middle East.
For now, diplomatic messages from Tehran suggest the war is unlikely to end quickly.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 07.03 2026