UK Accuses Iran of Directing Plot Against RAF Fairford

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on October 12, 2026, that a suspected terror plot targeting RAF Fairford was almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The incident began on September 27, when police arrested seven men—including a British-Iranian dual national—after stopping three vans containing gasoline near the airbase. While the suspects were later released on bail without charges, the security threat prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to order the withdrawal of 12 B-1 bombers from the facility to avoid potential drone attacks.

In response, the UK government summoned the Iranian ambassador and imposed sanctions on two Iranian nationals: Ruhollah Bazghandi, the IRGC's head of counterespionage, and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, a facilitator for the Zindashti criminal network. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned that Britain would not tolerate threats on its soil, while Prime Minister Burnham vowed to target the funding streams of Iranian criminal networks.

A coalition of 29 nations, including the United States and Canada, issued a joint statement condemning Iran's use of violent attacks, sabotage, and hybrid activities. This international response follows a broader pattern of Iranian-linked threats in Europe, including arson attacks on Jewish communities and military sites. The Government of Iran categorically rejected the accusations, describing the RAF Fairford incident as a clumsy false-flag operation designed to shield Britain from accountability regarding U.S.-Israeli military aggression.