Iran threatens Britain and declares RAF base a 'target'
Iran has said that it considers RAF Fairford a 'legitimate target' after the US used the base for bombing raids.
Listen to this article
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a statement condemning Britain for supporting America's war effort.
It comes after the US military deployed a B-1 bomber from Fairford for strikes on Tehran.
Andy Burnham has continued the UK policy of allowing the US to use the air base for 'defensive strikes'.
The IRGC issued a statement: "We warn the British monarchy, which is the main cause of the misfortunes of the people of our region and has a dark record of dividing Islamic countries, widespread massacres in these countries, imposing authoritarian governments, and worst of all, organizing and leading the occupation of Palestine and the creation of the Israeli Nakba, and has participated most in the recent aggressions of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, not to burden its case any further.”
Read more: Andy Burnham pauses early prison release scheme
The statement added: “As Foreign Ministry officials have also clarified, any base used to invade Iranian territory is our legitimate target.”
According to US news website Axios, the B1 bomber - which can carry two-dozen 2,000lb bombs - took off from RAF Fairford on Tuesday.
The government said in a statement: "For operational security reasons we do not comment on foreign nations military operations."
Donald Trump has recently announced a ramp-up in attacks on Iran, and promised "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies, after Yemeni fighters struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending the Middle East war to a second major shipping chokepoint.