Former UK Security Chief Says Bombing Iran 'Is Not Going To Make The World Safer'

Damages are seen in a building after an explosion in a residence compound after Israel attacked Iran's capital Tehran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)A former UK security chief has called on the UK not to back Donald Trump if he decides to bomb Iran – because it will not make the world any safer.Lord Ricketts, who was the government’s national security adviser between 2010 and 2012, said air strikes on the Tehran regime would only “reinforce their determination” to get a nuclear bomb.His comments, on ITV’s Peston programme, came as the US president mulls whether to send American planes to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, alongside Israeli jets.CBS News has reported that Trump approved the attack plans on Tuesday night, but has yet to decide whether to put them into action.Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, he said: “Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”It has also emerged that the British government would have to give America permission if it wanted to use the joint UK-US air base at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands to launch its bombing missions.Robert Peston, ITV’s political editor, asked Lord Ricketts: “If he orders an American strike on Iran, what do you think the British prime minister should say? Do you think that we should use British planes to support him?”The crossbench peer said: “My feeling is we should not, for the simple reason that I think the only way you’re going to control Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the long term is by having a deal with them.“I think just coming back and bombing them every few years is not going to make the world safer. In fact it’s going to reinforce their determination to keep working on a nuclear weapon when this round of fighting is over.“Although it’s difficult to take a distance from our American ally on this, I think history tells us that you have to be very careful before you get into war, and I would advise not doing so.”“If Trump orders an American strike…should we use British assets to support him?” “We should not” Former National Security Adviser @LordRickettsP says bombing Iran will ‘only reinforce their determination' for a nuclear weapon and a deal is the only way forward#Pestonpic.twitter.com/ByQNyJMovH— Peston (@itvpeston) June 18, 2025Related...Could The UK Be Dragged Into War As Donald Trump Ponders Bombing Iran?Angela Rayner Hints UK Would Not Join US If Trump Decides To Attack IranTrump Considers Bombing Iran'As He Demands The Country's 'Unconditional Surrender'

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