US partners shy away as Pentagon readies for potential strikes against Iran
Turkey and the United Kingdom are the latest among Washington’s military partners seeking to distance themselves from being tied to any planned strikes against Iran.
WASHINGTON — Turkey and the United Kingdom this week followed Arab Gulf countries in signaling they will not allow the United States to use their military bases to stage an attack against Iran.
The two countries, both of which are Washington's NATO allies, separately communicated their disapproval via private diplomatic channels, three sources familiar with the diplomatic messaging said.
Yet any such new restrictions are not expected to impede the Trump administration’s options for offensive strikes against the Islamic Republic, US officials familiar with the planning told Al-Monitor.
The US sources, who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, waved off the apparent attempts by the two allies to distance themselves from President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran. “The pieces are already largely in place,” one of the sources said.
