ALBAWABA- U.S. President Donald Trump has warned British Prime Minister Keir Starmer against proceeding with a long-term lease arrangement over the strategic island of Diego Garcia, arguing the Indian Ocean base could prove critical for potential military action against Iran if nuclear talks collapse.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump cautioned Starmer not to “lose control” of Diego Garcia through what he described as a “tenuous” 100-year lease, saying the United States may need the base, along with the U.K.’s RAF Fairford airfield, to counter what he called threats from a “highly unstable” Iranian regime.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the statement reflected official U.S. policy, signaling a shift from earlier State Department support for the agreement.
The remarks follow a February 3 phone call between Trump and Starmer, which Downing Street described as productive, with both leaders reaffirming the island’s strategic importance to joint security operations.
British officials were reportedly surprised by Trump’s public opposition, raising questions about transatlantic coordination at a time of close cooperation on Ukraine and broader defense matters.
Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Archipelago, hosts a key joint U.S.-U.K. military facility supporting operations across the Middle East and Asia. Under a May 2025 agreement, Britain agreed to transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius while securing a renewable 99-year lease to maintain the military base, at an average annual cost of £101 million.
The deal was intended to resolve a long-standing territorial dispute while preserving uninterrupted defense operations. Trump’s intervention comes amid heightened tensions with Iran.
A second round of indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks concluded in Geneva on February 17 without a breakthrough, though both sides signaled limited progress.
Iran has proposed a temporary freeze on uranium enrichment and other confidence-building measures but rejected dismantling its nuclear program, while Washington continues to press for stricter limitations, including on missile development.
With negotiations stalled and U.S. forces reinforcing their regional posture, Diego Garcia remains a pivotal asset for long-range operations. Trump’s warning underscores the base’s strategic weight as diplomacy with Tehran hangs in the balance.
