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Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a scheme to bargain nan Chagos Islands from Mauritius amid stalled plans from nan UK to cede sovereignty of nan territory, nan Telegraph first reported.
The White House did not respond to nan Guardian’s petition for remark connected nan study astir nan imaginable plan.
Under nan reported proposal, nan Trump administration would sidestep UK officials and acquisition nan island, securing power of nan US-UK Diego Garcia subject base.
The island, however, would first person to beryllium made sovereign, allowing nan US to discuss its acquisition pinch Mauritius directly, nan Telegraph reported. Previous authorities to manus nan islands to Mauritius were shelved successful April aft nan US removed its support of nan deal.
Purchasing nan islands is 1 of respective proposals being considered by nan US, nan Telegraph reported. The latest scheme was put distant by US treasury caput Scott Bessent and brought to Trump, though it allegedly is not a starring option. Some officials successful nan Trump administration were concerned astir giving nan land to Mauritius, an state of China, opening up nan anticipation of espionage, nan Telegraph reported.
Discussions for nan US to perchance acquisition nan Chagos Islands travel amid nan US-Israel warfare pinch Iran that has been ongoing since nan extremity of February. The Diego Garcia base, located successful nan cardinal Indian Ocean, is astir 2,360 miles (3,800km) from Iran and includes an airbase that tin grip US long-range missiles.
Since nan warfare location began, Iran has already launched aggregate strikes connected nan associated base. One specified onslaught successful precocious March was struck down by a US warship.
In March, nan UK gave nan US support to motorboat missiles striking Iranian rocket launchers from nan associated guidelines arsenic nan warfare continues.
Trump antecedently condemned nan move arsenic “very late” and based on that UK officials should person approved nan determination sooner.
In a societal media post, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s overseas minister, warned Keir Starmer that he was “putting British lives astatine consequence by allowing UK bases to beryllium utilized for aggression against Iran”.
