UK says Iran may be linked to alleged RAF Fairford plot, drawing denial

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there are “strong indications” that Iran played a role in an alleged security incident at an airbase used by the United States, prompting a forceful denial by Tehran.

Burnham told the BBC broadcaster on Wednesday that investigations into the suspected plot at the Royal Air Force base in Fairford were ongoing. Five British men in their 20s were arrested near the base on Sunday, on suspicion of “terrorism” and explosives offences. They were all released on bail a day later.

“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation,” Burnham said. “We are working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America.”

He did not provide details about what the suspects were planning or why the UK thinks Iran was involved.

But the prime minister said he would “update people more in due course”.

Burnham’s comments marked the first time a British official had publicly linked Iran to the events at the base.

Iran, however, has strongly denied any involvement in the incident and the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, hit back at Burnham’s allegations.

“PM Burnham says the UK Government ‘can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part’ in the RAF Fairford incident,” he wrote on X. “I can confirm Iran’s belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all. You’re barking up the wrong tree.”

The RAF base 160km west of London has been used by US bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including the US and Israel’s war on Iran, which began in February.

Credit: aljazeera.com

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