Tehran has reportedly issued a warning that it will target British forces in the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean if United States President Donald Trump attacks Iran. The Telegraph on Saturday reported, quoting a senior Iranian military official, that Tehran would strike the joint US-UK naval base on Diego Garcia in response to any US attack. The warning came a day after Trump said that Iran faces severe consequences if it fails to reach a nuclear deal. 

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"There will be no distinction in targeting British or American forces if Iran is attacked from any base in the region or within the range of Iranian missiles," he said as quoted.  

"When the time comes, it won't matter whether you're an American, British, or Turkish soldier – you will be targeted if your base is used by Americans," he said on Saturday. 

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Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia 

The Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia is a United States Navy base located on the island of Diego Garcia, which is part of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

Diego Garcia's strategic location allows the US military to project power into the Indian Ocean and support operations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. 

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Recently, the US military has deployed the B-2 stealth bombers along with C-17 cargo planes and 10 aerial refuelling tankers, defence industry outlet The War Zone reported on Wednesday citing satellite imagery.

The joint UK-US military base has previously been used to launch US strikes on the Middle East including Iraq and Afghanistan. The recent deployment suggests a possibilty of large-scale air operations in the region. 

While responding to the threat, a British government spokesman on Saturday told the UK-based media outlet, "The UK Government continues to work with partners across the region to encourage de-escalation." 

"The base on Diego Garcia is vital to UK and US security and plays a crucial role in maintaining regional and international security," the spokesman further added. 

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As per the report, the Iranian state media said that Tehran would strike the Diego Garcia facility with ballistic missiles and suicide drones in retaliation for any US "hostile action against the Iranian nation". 

"Iran possesses adequate weapons for such an attack from its mainland, such as newer versions of the Khorramshahr missile that have an intermediate range, and the Shahed-136B kamikaze drone with a range of 4,000km [2,485 miles]," it warned. 

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US-Iran ties under Trump administration 

Trump pulled the US out of an agreement to relieve sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. The president now says he is open to talks on a deal that could reduce the risk of military escalation.

The US president revealed at the start of March that he had sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump, at the same time, pushed ahead with his "maximum pressure" programme of additional sanctions on Tehran and the threat of military action if it refuses to negotiate. 

Tehran has refused to negotiate directly with Washington under these circumstances but has held out the possibility of indirect talks.

(With inputs from agencies)