Iranian ambassador to Cyprus clarifies status of British bases

On March 27, 2026, the Iranian ambassador to Cyprus, Alireza Salarian, stated that neither the Republic of Cyprus nor the British military bases located there are targets in Iran's ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. The ambassador noted that there is no evidence of provocation from these locations and confirmed that Tehran has received no reports of the bases being used for acts of aggression against Iran. These comments align with statements from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has maintained that the bases are not involved in offensive operations. This clarification addresses speculation following an earlier incident where a missile intercepted over northern Lebanon was suspected by some to be aimed at British installations. The UK Ministry of Defence has formally rejected those claims, stating that intelligence does not suggest the missile was targeted at the bases. Salarian further stated that Iran does not consider the facilities involved in the conflict, which began on February 28, 2026. Finally, the ambassador urged Cyprus, currently holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, to exert greater diplomatic efforts to facilitate an end to the hostilities.