<p>British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/keir-starmer">Keir Starmer </a>on Monday defended his decision not to back the initial joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran, after US President Donald Trump publicly criticised his approach.</p><p>"President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes," Starmer said, responding to Trump’s remarks that he had taken "too long" to allow US forces to use British air bases.</p><p>"But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I've done, and I stand by it."</p>.Trump 'very disappointed' with UK's Starmer for initially blocking use of air bases.<p>Starmer further made clear that the UK does not support attempts to remove Iran’s leadership through air power alone, saying such a strategy would be ineffective without a ground invasion, a key reason <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/uk">Britain</a> chose not to join the US-Israeli offensive.</p><p>"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies," Starmer told lawmakers on Monday, stressing that any military action must have a lawful basis and a "viable thought-through plan, with an objective that can be achieved."</p><p>"They're the principles that I applied to the decision not to get involved in the offensive strikes of the US and Israel."</p>
<p>British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/keir-starmer">Keir Starmer </a>on Monday defended his decision not to back the initial joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran, after US President Donald Trump publicly criticised his approach.</p><p>"President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes," Starmer said, responding to Trump’s remarks that he had taken "too long" to allow US forces to use British air bases.</p><p>"But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interest. That is what I've done, and I stand by it."</p>.Trump 'very disappointed' with UK's Starmer for initially blocking use of air bases.<p>Starmer further made clear that the UK does not support attempts to remove Iran’s leadership through air power alone, saying such a strategy would be ineffective without a ground invasion, a key reason <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/uk">Britain</a> chose not to join the US-Israeli offensive.</p><p>"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies," Starmer told lawmakers on Monday, stressing that any military action must have a lawful basis and a "viable thought-through plan, with an objective that can be achieved."</p><p>"They're the principles that I applied to the decision not to get involved in the offensive strikes of the US and Israel."</p>