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The British PM said the foiled plot was “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).”
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Weeks after a suspected plot to target Britain’s RAF Fairford airbase, which houses US military personnel and assets, was foiled, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham raised concerns about Iran’s alleged involvement in the incident.
The British PM said the foiled plot was “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).”
“I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC),” Burnham told UK Parliament.
British authorities are investigating the suspected plot, which reportedly involved plans to launch a drone attack on the military base. US officials told Reuters that Iran was suspected of being involved.
Trump Withdraws Planes After RAF Fairford Incident
RAF Fairford has been used by US bombers for strikes against Iran. Last week, US President Donald Trump said a threat linked to Iran had prompted the withdrawal of the aircraft from the base.
The case emerged after five British men were arrested near the base in the early hours of September 27 on suspicion of terrorism-related and explosives offences. They were subsequently released on police bail under strict conditions. Police said petrol was found in the vans used by the suspects, but no viable explosives were recovered.
Two other men, including a British-Iranian national, were also arrested and later released. Investigators are examining whether a foreign state was involved in the alleged plot.
“We will not tolerate these threats on our soil,” Burnham said, announcing plans to crack down on Iran’s alleged use of criminal networks and their funding channels. He also said the government would introduce further sanctions to limit Iran and the IRGC’s ability to threaten Britain.
“We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm,” he added.
Iran has denied involvement in the incident, describing suggestions linking it to the alleged plot as “unfounded and malicious speculations”.
British authorities have previously accused Iran of involvement in several suspected plots in the UK. In July, Britain introduced measures aimed at curbing the use of state-sponsored proxies and restricting support for the IRGC.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Five British men were arrested near the RAF Fairford airbase in the early hours of September 27 on suspicion of terrorism-related and explosives offences after a local farmer reported suspicious vans and masked men. Counter-terrorism police subsequently launched an investigation into the suspected plot, examining whether a foreign state was involved.
Ask News18About the Author
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers politics and a wide range of hard news, with a keen interest in national and international d…Read More
London, United Kingdom (UK)
October 12, 2026, 9:14 PM IST
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