‘There is no intent on the part of Iran to target the UK’: British Defense Minister

‘There is no intent on the part of Iran to target the UK’: British Defense Minister

UK Minister of State for Defense Lord Coaker on Tuesday made remarks about the Israeli army’s claims that Iran possesses missiles capable of reaching London.

Speaking to Türkiye based Anadolu news agency at the launch of his ministry’s 2026 Defense Diplomacy Strategy, Coaker downplayed the threat.

“Israel will have to know why it said what it said,” he remarked. “But from our point of view, the important thing… is to reassure the public, is that there is no intent on the part of Iran to target the UK.”

Coaker also described the relationship with the US as “fundamental,” dismissing concerns that political shifts in Washington could weaken cooperation.

“The US-UK relationship is fundamental to the strategic partnerships that we have,” he said.

“The President is the President, and he will say what he says… It would be easy to say, well, he said this, you say that—that is not diplomacy.”

He added that any perceived division would only embolden adversaries. “I’ll tell you who would benefit from that. Our adversaries across the world, that’s what they want to hear. They’re not going to hear it from me.”

NATO is Türkiye

“NATO is Türkiye,” Coaker said, underlining Ankara’s pivotal role in the alliance and signaling a stronger strategic partnership as the UK links its defense diplomacy more closely with industrial and economic cooperation.

Coaker highlighted close and regular engagement with Türkiye, stressing that the UK “respects enormously” the country’s contribution to NATO operations. He also pointed to a recent fighter jet agreement between the two countries as a milestone in strengthening defense-industrial cooperation.

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler arrived in London on Tuesday, and the third implementation document of the Typhoon jet agreement is set to be signed on Wednesday.

Last year, Türkiye signed an £8 billion ($10.7 billion) deal with the UK to buy 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets.

Britain, a leading partner in the Eurofighter program, has been Türkiye’s most vocal supporter, and the agreement followed months of negotiations between the two capitals after Türkiye overcame a German veto on the sale in 2024.

“We work very closely with Türkiye,” Coaker said, highlighting a relationship that has rapidly ascended to the top of Whitehall’s priority list.

“We understand its importance, and we respect it enormously for the work that it does within NATO. So that’s good. And we were very pleased with the fighter jet deal that’s been done… we will work with them to deliver our shared objectives.”

‘NATO first’ doctrine

At the heart of the UK’s newly launched strategy lies the “NATO First” principle. The document reaffirms that the North Atlantic Alliance remains the “unshakeable foundation” of British security, though the 2026 strategy introduces a more pragmatic edge to this commitment.

Under “NATO First,” the UK is not merely seeking collective defense; it is looking to bolster the alliance’s “industrial resilience” by deepening ties with its most capable members.

The strategy document reinforces this direction, positioning the defense ministry as a primary “engine for growth.” It explicitly cites the recent “record-breaking” fighter jet agreement with Türkiye as the benchmark for future engagements.