Israel Defense Forces claimed Iran possesses missiles capable of reaching London, Paris, or Berlin, but the UK government disputes these assessments.
IDF Claims on Iranian Missile Range
The Israel Defense Forces published a statement on social media asserting that Iran possesses missiles with a range of up to 4,000 kilometers, potentially capable of reaching London, Paris, or Berlin.
UK Rejects Range Assessments
Reed stated that no estimates confirm this claim, adding he is unaware of any assessment suggesting Iran intends to attack Europe, or even if they could if they tried.
Trump’s Threat to Iran
In a separate interview, Reed clarified that former U.S. President Donald Trump, when threatening to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities if Tehran did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, was speaking for himself.
UK Position on Trump’s Remarks
When asked to define the UK’s position regarding Trump’s words, Reed said the U.S. President is “fully capable of speaking for himself and defending what he says.” He affirmed the UK would not be drawn into war but would protect its interests and work with allies to de-escalate the situation.
Iranian Attack on Chagos Islands Base
Iran previously attacked a U.S.-British military base on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, approximately 3,800 km from Iran. Reed declined to disclose how close the missiles came to the British overseas territory, citing operational security.
Details of Iranian Missile Launches
Iran launched two ballistic missiles towards Diego Garcia, with one being intercepted. Following reports of the attempted attack, the IDF stated last Saturday (March 21st) that Tehran had planned to develop missiles capable of reaching Europe, Asia, and Africa in the previous year.
IDF Statement on Global Threat
The IDF stated, “We are saying this: the terrorist Iranian regime poses a global threat. Now with missiles that can reach London, Paris or Berlin.”
Iran’s Stated Missile Range Limitation
Earlier in March, Iran’s Foreign Minister stated that the country deliberately limited the range of its missiles to 2,000 km, as it “does not want to be seen as a threat to anyone else in the world.”
Calls for Securing the Strait of Hormuz
Friedrich Merz advocates for securing the Strait of Hormuz, but only after a ceasefire, which remains a distant prospect despite increasing U.S. bombing of Iran. Tehran currently holds a significant advantage.