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The British government has said there are “strong indications” that Iran may have played a role in a suspected incident near RAF Fairford air base in western England. An investigation into the incident at the base, which U.S. forces have used for operations against Iran, is continuing.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC on Wednesday that British officials believe Iran was involved in the incident. He stressed, however, that the investigation was ongoing.
“There are strong indications that Iran played a role in what happened at RAF Fairford over the weekend. But this is an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation,” Burnham said.
This is the British government’s clearest public statement linking Iran to the incident. The case has prompted a major counterterrorism investigation and drawn attention from the United States.
Iran denies allegation
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has categorically denied his country’s involvement in the incident. Responding to Burnham’s remarks on social media platform X, he questioned the suspects’ release on bail.
“Prime Minister Burnham says the British government can confirm that it believes Iran played a role in the RAF Fairford incident. I can also confirm that the release of alleged terrorists working for foreign states makes everything clear. You are looking in the wrong direction,” Araghchi wrote.
Iran’s denial comes amid rising tensions between Tehran and Western governments, particularly against the backdrop of U.S. military operations against Iran.
Why RAF Fairford is in the spotlight
RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, has long been used for U.S. military operations. U.S. bombers recently operated from the airfield during strikes against Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump said shortly after the arrests that the suspects had been planning to cause “great harm.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said there was “clearly a foreign actor” involved in the incident, but did not directly blame Iran.
Before Burnham’s statement, British officials had not publicly identified Iran as being involved. Counterterrorism police had said, however, that they were investigating the possible role of a foreign state, including whether individuals had acted as intermediaries “knowingly or unknowingly.”
On Sunday, five British men from London, aged between 23 and 25, were arrested near RAF Fairford on suspicion of terrorism and explosives-related offences. They were later released on bail while the investigation continues.
Investigation into suspects continues
Police said on Tuesday that petrol had been found in vans linked to the suspects, but no homemade explosive device had been discovered. Questions remain about what the suspects may have been planning and the nature of the incident.
Police have defended their decision to release the suspects on bail, including after criticism from Trump. Investigators are examining what the men were doing near the base, whether they were planning an attack and whether anyone else instructed or assisted them.
According to The Times, one of the suspects contacted emergency services shortly before being arrested early on Sunday. The newspaper reported that investigators are examining whether this was an attempt to test the base’s security, a rehearsal for a possible operation or an effort to send a message to the British government.
Investigators are also checking whether the call indicated that the suspect had abandoned the plan or was part of a wider operation. The Times did not identify its sources, while police declined to comment on whether any suspect had made such a call.
British officials have not publicly presented evidence linking the five men to Iran. Burnham’s statement reflects the government’s position during an ongoing investigation, not a finding established in court.
