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UK: Akrotiri Base Will Not Be Included in Defense Agreement with US

Published March 21, 2026, 20:08
UK: Akrotiri Base Will Not Be Included in Defense Agreement with US

The UK has assured Cyprus that the Akrotiri airbase will not be used for offensive military operations within the framework of the defense agreement with the United States. This was announced following a telephone conversation between British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The agreement concerns the use of the British bases RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia for defensive strikes against missile bases in the Strait of Hormuz, in response to Iranian attacks on ships. The UK has granted the US permission to use these bases, but the base at Akrotiri is excluded from the implementation of the agreement. The British government emphasizes that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is of paramount importance and that it will not be drawn into a wider conflict. The Iranian ballistic missile attack on Diego Garcia preceded the permission granted to the US.