Iran urged to strike Diego Garcia base ‘immediately’
Military commanders face calls for preemptive strike on Chagos Island base before President Trump uses it to attack Iran
April 2, 2025
Iranian armed forces have called for a preemptive strike on the Diego Garcia military base before America uses it to target the Islamic Republic.
Iran will target Britain’s Chagos base if President Trump attacks
A senior Iranian official said military commanders have been asked to target the joint UK-US base, which sits on Britain’s Chagos Islands, in an attempt to deter President Donald Trump from striking Iran.
Experts tell The Telegraph that Russia and America’s growing closeness – alongside internal discontent in Iran – could spark regime change
The official in Tehran told The Telegraph:
“Top commanders are being urged to launch preemptive strikes on the island and its base if Trump’s threats have become more serious.”
He added: “Discussions about the island have intensified since the Americans deployed bombers there.”
At least three B-2 Spirit jets arrived at the strategic US-UK outpost last week, according to satellite imagery.
Dubbed the “ghosts of the sky”, the B-2 bombers are capable of slipping past the most advanced air defenses and delivering deadly payloads.
Diego Garcia is the main island in the Chagos Archipelago – the British-owned Indian Ocean territory which Sir Keir Starmer wants to return to Mauritius.
The future of the military base is a key point of contention in the deal to give up the islands.
As part of Sir Keir’s proposed deal, Diego Garcia would be leased back to the UK at a reported annual cost of £90 million per year, so the US can continue its military operations there.
One Iranian regime supporter said the island should have been targeted long before the US deployed bombers.
He said: “I find it very unlikely that the country’s top defense commanders, since the 1990s, have not considered a missile attack – either ballistic or cruise – on Chagos. And if they weren’t, they’d definitely be very stupid.”
The base supports B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, so it is significant for operations across Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Some 4,000 military personnel and contractors – the majority of whom are American – are also housed at the base.
The Iranian state media outlet said that the B-2 Spirit bomber would likely use Diego Garcia as a launching point for any potential attack on Iranian underground facilities.
The Iranian official said:
“Some are suggesting that missiles be fired towards the island, not with the intent to hit anything, but to fall into the water to send a clear message to the Americans that we are serious.”
Tensions between Iran and America have significantly escalated since President Trump returned to the White House.
Last month, President Trump renewed his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, which included continuing his efforts to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons by reducing its oil exports to zero.
But he has also expressed interest in quickly negotiating a “verified nuclear peace agreement” with the country.
Iran is seeking ways to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that President Trump withdrew from in 2018, while the US is pushing for complete disarmament.
President Trump warned Iran on Sunday that there would be “bombing the likes of which they have never seen before” if it rejects his nuclear weapons deal.
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While flying on Air Force One, he told reporters:
“We’ll see if we can get something done. And if not, it’s going to be a bad situation.”
He added: “I would prefer a deal to the other alternative which I think everybody in this plane knows what that is, and that’s never going to be pretty.”
President Trump sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader earlier this month, to urge Iran to negotiate and warn that military intervention would be “terrible”.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, said on Sunday that the Islamic Republic rejected direct negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.
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In response, the US State Department said: “President Trump has been clear: the United States cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, responded to President Trump’s threats on Monday.
He said: “The enmity from the US and Israel has always been there. They threaten to attack us, which we don’t think is very probable, but if they commit any mischief, they will surely receive a strong reciprocal blow.”
Khamenei is also under pressure from hardliners to lift a ban on building nuclear bombs.
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Islamic Republic warned to ‘change course’ and choose de-escalation and diplomacy
Following the threats, the Islamic Republic has missiles “locked and loaded” to respond if President Trump orders any potential strikes, The Telegraph understands.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air force commander also threatened to target 50,000 American troops in the region.
Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said:
“The Americans have at least 10 bases in the region, around Iran, with more than 50,000 troops – this means they are sitting in a glass house.
“Someone sitting in a glass house does not throw stones at others.”
The IRGC deputy commander also warned that “there is very great capability to harm the US at sea.”
The Iranian official who spoke with The Telegraph said:
“The response to Trump’s threats should be action, not words - every base in the region is within range of our missiles.
“The missiles are locked and loaded, ready to target any area from which Iran could be threatened, whether from Diego Garcia or Bahrain.”
He added: “Commanders have been instructed to ensure that all missile launchers are prepared and that nuclear sites are well protected. They are bracing for an all-out war, with everything in place for when Trump attacks.”
Iran also revealed a new underground “missile city” in a video last week that showed a facility housing ballistic missiles.
READ MORE:
Iran Wants A Nuclear Deal to Avoid An All-Out War it Cannot Win
Iran Nuke Deal Brings Israel Closer to War
Israel expects the US and other allies to help Bomb Iran Back to the Stone Age if Tehran attacks
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How can Iran strike Diego Garcia? Iran can’t put a plane in the air nor has a missile that could find DG😂