'ISIS's days as an occupying force are numbered': Theresa May's warning to terrorists in historic Bahrain speech

  • PM said British service personnel had their 'lives on the line' to fight ISIS 
  • May was the first woman to ever address the Gulf Cooperation Council 
  • She promised Britain would step up its security commitment to the region  

By Tim Sculthorpe, Mailonline Deputy Political Editor

Published: | Updated:

Theresa May has said ISIS's 'days are numbered' as an occupying power in Iraq and Syria as she assured Gulf leaders a post-Brexit Britain would not abandon the Middle East.

Mrs May today became the first woman and first UK Prime Minister to address the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in an opulent purpose-built arena in Bahrain. 

In a signal of the rarity of the occasion - as Mrs May was only the third Western leader to ever take part - she was referred to as 'her majesty' and 'her highness' in the English translation of summit proceedings. 

In her speech, Mrs May told Gulf leaders the UK was taking 'a leap forwards' with Brexit as a 'passionate' advocate for free trade.

Theresa May has said ISIS's 'days are numbered' as an occupying power in Iraq and Syria as she assured the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) a post-Brexit Britain would not abandon the Middle East

Theresa May has said ISIS's 'days are numbered' as an occupying power in Iraq and Syria as she assured the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) a post-Brexit Britain would not abandon the Middle East

Mrs May, pictured left, made history as the first woman to ever address the GCC in a purpose-built, lavishly decorated venue in the Bahraini capital Manama 

Mrs May, pictured left, made history as the first woman to ever address the GCC in a purpose-built, lavishly decorated venue in the Bahraini capital Manama 

Referring to ISIS as Daesh, the PM said: 'Today, UK servicemen and women are putting their lives on the line at the heart of the international mission against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

'We are making progress. And as we are seeing with the current operations in Mosul, the days of Daesh as an occupying force are numbered.'

Mrs May added: 'Gulf security is our security. Extremists plotting terror attacks here in this region are not only targeting the Gulf but as we have seen targeting the streets if Europe to.

'Whether we are confronting the terrorism of Al-Qaeda or the murderous barbarity of Daesh, no country is a more committed partner in this fight than then United Kingdom.' 

And looking to the future, she told the GCC: 'As part of the renewed relationship I want to forge with you, the United Kingdom will make a more permanent and more enduring commitment to the long-term security of the Gulf.

'We will invest in hard power with over £3billion of defence spending in the region over the next decade, spending more on defence in the Gulf than in any other region of the world.'

Mrs May said Britain would have a permanent base established in the Gulf for the first time since 1971. 

Mrs May arrived at the historic meeting alongside Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Mrs May arrived at the historic meeting alongside Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

The Prime Minister used the address to strongly back the Iran nuclear deal after intense criticism of the agreement by US President-elect Donald Trump.

On the final day of her visit to Bahrain, Mrs May told Gulf leaders: 'We secured a deal which has neutralised the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons for over a decade.

'It has already seen Iran remove 13,000 centrifuges together with associated infrastructure and eliminate its stock of 20 per cent enriched uranium.

'That was vitally important for regional security.'

During his campaign for the White House, Mr Trump pledged to 'dismantle' the deal which sees international sanctions lifted in return for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme.

Mrs May was one of only three women in the GCC meeting in Bahrain today, alongside her chief of staff Fiona Hill (right) 

Mrs May was one of only three women in the GCC meeting in Bahrain today, alongside her chief of staff Fiona Hill (right) 

The Gulf states have now committed to sign up to the WePROTECT Global Alliance which is aimed at taking action to end the online sexual exploitation of children.

They also agreed to enter into discussions on compliance with international conventions on forced labour as part of global efforts to combat modern slavery.

British experts at the UK Border Force will work with Gulf-based airlines to raise awareness of modern slavery among their staff and advise how to share any concerns they have with the police.

Mrs May told Gulf leaders she wanted a Britain that worked for all sections of society, and hoped boosting trade with the region would help British people who feel left behind by globalisation.

 

 

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