"Iran absolutely is a barbaric regime. Action should have been taken," Dame Priti Patel told LBC's Lewis Goodall on Sunday.
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Dame Priti Patel says Britain has a "moral duty to act" when it comes to Iran, despite many claiming the actions of the US and Israel may have violated international law.
Speaking on LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall, the shadow foreign secretary said she "absolutely supported" the actions of President Trump, saying Iran is "a threat to us as a country and a threat to our allies".
"It's important that we are doing everything that we possibly can, not just to protect them, but also to protect our allies in the region," she said.
Dame Priti criticised the UK government for choosing to stay out of the operation, saying the government "sat on the fence", when they "should have been much more robust" and could have "played a strategic role" in the mission.
"Legalities aside, number one, there is a moral duty to act. We have British nationals in the region.
"We have been threatened by Iran. Iran is a threat to our country.
"The Ayatollah has led a barbaric regime in excess of about 37 years, murdering thousands upon thousands of people in Iran, but also around the world – including our citizens, our own nationals, the nationals of our allies."
When pressed by Lewis whether the US-Israeli strikes against Iran were legal, Dame Priti Iran themselves "did not care for international law whatsoever".
"Look, the British government would have had all the bases, the legal basis and the information to make that decision. They are the ones hiding behind this.
"They'll have to explain their own course of action to the British people. They're the ones basically using international law as some kind of excuse right now. They were the ones privy to the information in detail.
"I would ultimately say that first and foremost, Iran absolutely is a barbaric regime. Action should have been taken."
Overnight, following the exchange of missiles between Gulf states, Iranian state TV confirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
"It is obvious now that there will be some kind of change in Iran," said Dame Priti, claiming there was "no doubt" that the people would "come and rise up" against the system.
"Of course, the ultimate questions will be what follows next? We don't know.
"Because this is not going to finish today. It is clear that there will be some continuation of the hostilities in the activities."
The former home secretary went on to encourage the use of British military assets in the region as the conflict continues.
"Do you I think we should be deploying British military assets? I personally think we do, on the basis that it'll be protecting our allies and it'll be protecting British nationals in the region.
"The British government should be working on protecting our homeland."
She said not to act now would be "a sign of weakness" from the Starmer government.