LONDON (AP) — A suspected plot to attack a U.S.-run military air base in England was "almost certainly" directed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated on Monday. Burnham previously indicated strong evidence linking Iran to the apparent plan last month to attack the RAF Fairford air base, which has been utilized by American bombers in operations against Iran.
Police have arrested seven men in connection with the investigation into the alleged plot, but all suspects have been released on bail, and no charges have been filed to date. Iran has denied any involvement, although it has previously claimed that any base used to attack its territory is a legitimate target.
"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," Burnham told lawmakers. "We will not tolerate these threats on our soil."
On September 27, numerous residents near the air base were evacuated as armed police and army bomb-disposal experts responded to the situation. Police later reported finding a quantity of gasoline in three vans associated with the initial five suspects arrested at the scene, but no explosives were discovered.
All suspects are in their 20s, and while their identities have not been disclosed, police confirmed that six are British nationals and one is a dual U.K.-Iranian citizen.
On Monday, the British government summoned the Iranian ambassador, who reiterated Tehran's denial of involvement and requested evidence to support the U.K.'s claims. The U.K. also announced the addition of two Iranians, including the head of counterespionage operations in the Revolutionary Guard, to its sanctions list, citing their involvement in espionage and attacks on behalf of Iran's government in Europe and the U.S.
The U.S. recently withdrew its bombers from RAF Fairford, located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, with the Pentagon confirming their redeployment to home bases. The Trump administration had previously expressed concerns regarding Iranian threats aimed at harming American troops and damaging U.S. aircraft.
The British government permitted U.S. military operations at RAF Fairford for what it termed defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites following Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and those of its allies in the Gulf.
Officials have indicated that local proxies linked to Iran have been responsible for various attacks on the U.S., Britain, and other nations, many targeting Jewish communities and intended to instill fear. British officials reported a 50% increase in national security cases involving hostile state activities, including those by Iran, in the six months leading up to December 2025.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood remarked that the Fairford air base incident "speaks to a wider trend," noting that states like Iran are utilizing proxies to conduct hostile activities in Britain. "They pay criminals or exploit naive volunteers, attacking our country and its citizens while maintaining an air of plausible deniability," she stated.
In a joint statement on Monday, the foreign ministers of the U.K., U.S., and approximately two dozen Western countries condemned Iranian attacks on their territories, asserting that the Fairford incident exemplifies Iran's "continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors."
"Anyone who conducts hostile activities on behalf of Iran, or any other state, should know that we will take action to identify, investigate, disrupt, and prosecute these acts," the statement concluded.