Reuters. Britain has "strong indications" that Iran was involved in a suspected plot against a British airbase used by US forces to strike Iran, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday (September 30).
On Sunday (September 27), five British men in their 20s were arrested on suspected terrorism and explosive offences near RAF Fairford in west England.
The five, who all live in London, were later released on bail.
On Monday (September 28), Iran strongly denied any involvement, responding to reports that it could be involved in the incident.
Burnham said Britain was working closely with the US, whose bombers have in recent months used the base to launch missions against Iran.
Shortly after the arrests, US President Donald Trump said the men had planned "big damage" and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio later pointed at "a foreign actor".
Until Burnham's remarks, Britain had not linked the incident to Iran, though counter terrorism police have said their investigation included the possibility of foreign state involvement and whether the incident could involve proxies "knowingly or unknowingly working on behalf of a foreign state."
Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has categorically rejected allegations by British Prime Minister Burnham that Iran was involved in an incident at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base, IRNA reorts.
In a post on his X on Thursday, Araghchi reacted to the British prime minister’s remarks, writing that PM Burnham said the UK government “can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part” in the RAF Fairford incident.
“I can confirm Iran's belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all,” he said.
“You're barking up the wrong tree,” the Iranian foreign minister added.
