LONDON, 13 October, 2026 (Ghufran): British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said it is highly likely that a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford air base was coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), raising tensions between London and Tehran. Addressing Parliament on Monday, Burnham said the British government would not tolerate threats on its soil and would take further action against Iran’s alleged use of criminal networks, including targeting their funding sources and imposing additional sanctions. The RAF Fairford base in southwest England, previously used by US bombers to launch strikes against Iran, became the focus of a major security operation after five British men were arrested nearby in the early hours of September 27 on suspicion of terrorism and explosives-related offences. US officials have told Reuters that the suspected plot involved a possible drone attack, while US President Donald Trump said last week that an Iran-linked threat had prompted the withdrawal of bombers from the base. However, details of the alleged plot remain limited.
The five men were subsequently released on police bail under strict conditions, while two other arrested men, including a British-Iranian national, were also released. Detectives said petrol had been found in vans seized during the investigation, but no viable explosive device had been discovered. Tehran has firmly rejected allegations of involvement, describing them as “unfounded and malicious speculations.” Meanwhile, foreign ministries from nearly 30 countries, including the United States, Canada, France and Germany, issued a joint statement condemning what they described as Iran’s use of violent attacks, arson, sabotage, cyberattacks and other hostile activities against their countries and partners. The British government said the incident reflected the IRGC’s alleged willingness to conduct covert operations beyond Iran’s borders through networks and proxy actors. London has repeatedly accused Tehran of supporting plots and attempted assassinations in Britain, allegations that Iran has consistently denied. British authorities said last year that they had identified 20 credible Iranian-backed threats to kill or kidnap people in the United Kingdom. In July, Britain introduced measures prohibiting support for the IRGC and the group Harakat Ashab Al-Yamin Al-Islamiya (HAYI), which claimed responsibility for seven attacks earlier this year at locations associated with Jewish and Israeli communities and Persian-language media. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also summoned Iran’s ambassador, while the government announced sanctions against two Iranian nationals, Ruhollah Bazghandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, over their alleged links to the IRGC and a criminal network accused of targeting Iranian dissidents.