UK says Iran may be linked to alleged airbase plot, drawing angry denial

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC that investigators have "strong indications" Iran played a role in a suspected security incident at RAF Fairford, a UK base used by US bombers. He cautioned the matter remains an ongoing and complex police investigation and said further public updates would be provided in due course. Burnham did not disclose operational details or the specific basis for linking Iran to the events.

Police detained five British men in their 20s near the base on Sunday on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences; they were released on bail the following day. Authorities said a bomb-disposal team searched vehicles and, after three days of examination, found no explosives but did recover a "quantity of petrol." The suspects remain under investigation, and counterterror policing leaders said lines of inquiry include whether individuals acted as proxies for a foreign state.

Iran issued a forceful denial. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X, rejecting the UK allegation and suggesting the charges reflected other states' activities rather than Iranian action. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has previously stated it regards bases used to attack Iranian territory as legitimate targets, a context noted in reporting on the incident.

The decision to grant bail drew criticism from senior US officials. President Donald Trump said he "wouldn't have done that," and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said many people were "disturbed" by the move. UK counterterror policing said the bail decision was based on established experience and strategy. Reporting also noted unverified claims from The Times that one of the men called emergency services shortly before arrest, a detail police declined to confirm publicly.