US strikes Iran

[mjf981]

In conjunction with Israel.
Why? Starting wars has never ever ended well for the US, or for the country they are trying to 'help.'

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn5ge95q6y7t

Trump open to negotiations, the Guardian reports.
Will they go for it?
I actually do not think so.
Everytime they enter negotiations, the same pattern follows.
It has been reported that Trump offered talks via Italy yesterday or early today, but was refused.
I suppose he wants to reiterate his offer of immunity if they just abandon ship.

It's just spreading......

I've worked in Iran, not everyone hates the regime and those that do many don't like American foreign policy either. It's a delicate situation that needs skilled diplomacy.

This is a good point. There’s a general feeling in Western democracies that the populations of all countries want to be run along western democratic principles and it’s only the rulers or dictators that are preventing this happening.
However, as you say there may be a fair number citizens who approve of their country’s regime.
So if there were proper elections then this would decide the future of the country. However in Iran it seems the country is so divided that would the losing side accept defeat?

but why wait for congress, besides whos to say they have been flipped to support x group or cause etc how can a president do president things when you have to ask congress everytime especially when congress members could be flipped ?

much appricated

Oh wait, they have accepted talks.
It is full on war till then. And during the negotiations. And we still have no date for it to start.
At the same time, Trump says it may take 4 weeks.....
Far too many games.
God knows how many deads by now.
And nothing achieved yet.
Copy cut from the previous two wars.

How could you run elections in a country as large as Iran...might work in the capital.....but elsewhere impossible.

Forget elections this decade and consider complex negotiations.

dwordle · Today 22:37
How could you run elections in a country as large as Iran...might work in the capital.....but elsewhere impossible.
Forget elections this decade and consider complex negotiations

That’s true but then who will decide?

They do vote. It is a "Republic". It does have a voting system. The president is elected.
Only that is the Supreme leader who allows them to run and who has to give the final blessing.
So that is not the problem.
The problem would be if there is an organised and effective opposition. Which, if there is one, it is not making any moves or noise whatsoever. At least reported here.

You inspired me to check.
Last elections were held in 2024.
And women have the right to vote.
Even to be part of government. And they had two female ministers to date.

The problem would be if there is an organised and effective opposition. Which, if there is one, it is not making any moves or noise whatsoever. At least reported here

I thought the opposition had been protesting for ages - very bravely considering those in charge shot so many of them.

It's called living in a democracy....you can't go around starting wars without consulting those that were elected as oversight. Don't be surprised if this spills into Pakistan or even Turkey.

Personally I'd advise against all travel to Cyprus, middle east, turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece....even places like Kosovo could be no go areas. I'm afraid our summer vacations might be on hold for a few years.

Trump might think he's winning but looks who's paying for it. Has anyone considered civilians in all this....many of these bombs are dropping in built up areas. How many dead civilians is a price worth paying for a war that has no real concrete plan. 153 school children killed today in Tehran as a bomb hit a school.... honestly it's Gaza 2.0

I'm always cautious of who says they support a regime in a country where you can't critique the regime.
Personally I'd also be saying this until I was sure they were definatly gone.

Protestors and a capable organised opposition gathering behind a leadership are not the same.
In the case of Iran, this opposition would have to include army personnel and resources to stand a chance.

That's because people just want peace, they want to live their lives...they don't want war ...no one wants war

Think about it, if we lived in a dictatorship and we hated our leader and feared the security forces.... would you honestly want bombs dropping around you....you want to live.

So the only feasible way of removing a dictator like that would be to march in.....but we don't want that either because that's our son's and daughters being killed to liberate a country that isn't even remotely close to us.

How obliging of Iran to provide the justification for his change of heart. I could write more but I doubt I'm thinking anything you aren't.

Extremely obliging of Iran.

It's looking more and more like a trap, though I have no idea who's trapping who? Fog of war and all that.

The Cyprus Mail is reporting that the base has now been hit by a small drone after Starmer announced his reversal earlier. They also report that Cypriot officials denied the earlier drone attack that the UK defence secretary spoke about.

https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/03/02/security-threat-declared-at-uk-cyprus-bases

Morocco?
Do you know where that is in a map?

Mm
so

Cyprus says there were no bombs headed towards Cyprus
Cyprus says the country is safe
The U.K. say there were bombs headed in the direction showing the need to defend itself
but Cyprus says there were no bombs

The bombs are a lie by either the US or Israel or both to get the U.K. to join in the war or at the very least to get the U.K. to allow the US to use its airbases

hay presto 👏👏👏 and Starmer has fallen for it ( or does he know and need an excuse 🤷‍♀️)
Lets not beat about the bush here
Its black and white ( imo of course )

Iran requested talks with the US after the first strikes on Iran
initially Trump was evasive
he said Theyd had their chance
he said Theyd need to agree to all US/Israeli points in the agreement

European leaders and the U.K. pushed for talks
and
Trump decided he would have talks
but at the moment he’s busy with the war

A senior White House official said Iran’s “new potential leadership” has suggested it is open to talks with the United States. That official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said Trump has indicated he’s “eventually” willing to talk but that for now the military operation “continues unabated.”

The official did not say who the potential new Iranian leaders are or how they made their alleged willingness to talk known. Separately, Trump told The Atlantic that he planned to speak with Iran’s new leadership.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he said Sunday, declining comment on the timing.

Of note

I can’t think of a reason for Cyprus to lie

Given this headliner it seems like the bombings will continue and
maybe at the same time there will be some form of talks

I doubt any conclusion will be reached soon

US personnel have already been killed
Israelis have already been killed
Both these factors will extend the need for war and revenge beyond the original reasons set

Yes, it will be another day of reckless bombing, with more countries thrown in the mix, particularly Lebanon.
More loss of civilians lives to come.

Statement from Keir Starmer in full:

Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran.
That remains the case.
Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them.
They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying.
This is clearly a dangerous situation.
We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region - residents, families on holiday, and those in transit.
I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.
I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.
Our Armed Forces who are located across the region are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions.
Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.
The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes.
Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.
Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate.
Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement.
One in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.
But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region.
That is the situation we face today.
Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them, and it is my duty to protect British lives.
We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes.
But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which used to fire the missiles.
The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.
We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.
The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives.
That is in accordance with international law. And we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.
We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region.
And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.
I want to be very clear: we all remember the mistakes of Iraq.
And we have learned those lessons.
We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.
But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy - so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region.
Because that is our duty to the British people.
It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.
This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-iran-1-march-2026

Why don't the other gulf nations defend themselves ?