British Premier Gordon Brown has agreed to support US air strikes against Iran if Iran were to carry out large-scale attacks by militant proxies against British or American forces in Iraq, the Sunday Telegraph reported Sunday afternoon, quoting unnamed senior Pentagon officials. Reportedly, Washington sources said Brown has been informed of US plans to launch limited air and special-forces raids against Revolutionary Guard bases.
After talks with President George W. Bush in July, Brown left US officials with the belief that Britain was "on board" for a military response - but only if Iran was proven to be behind a big militant attack or if an incident similar to the kidnapping in March of British sailors occured again, the British daily reported.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, the US wanted Britain's Special Air Service Regiment to take part in special-forces raids inside Iran and has requested help from the Royal Navy to combat Iranian retaliation in the Gulf. But no decisions have yet been made.
Brown reportedly clarified to Bush that he would not support a campaign to destroy Iran's nuclear program and bring about regime change in Teheran, but Pentagon officials said he did indicate he would be prepared to back strikes in certain circumstances.
The threat of action has been passed to the Iranian government and is credited with slowing the flood of Iranian weapons into Iraq, the Telegraph reported.