British intelligence officials warned Tuesday that Iran is actively working to strike military installations across the United Kingdom, describing an alleged plot against an air base housing American aircraft as part of a wider international effort by Tehran.
Speaking on Tuesday, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the suspected September operation targeting RAF Fairford in western England was “not unique,” pointing to expanding Iranian operations that extend far beyond targeting political dissidents. McCallum said Tehran is pursuing harder targets, including defense installations, both in Britain and internationally.
Suspected Plot at Strategic Base
The warning followed statements to Parliament on Monday by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said the episode at RAF Fairford was “almost certainly” orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was “highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran.”
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sept. 27, when police evacuated nearby residents in the village of Whelford and intercepted three vans near the installation. Authorities discovered containers of gasoline inside the vehicles, though investigators found no explosives. Seven men in their 20s were arrested in connection with the inquiry and later released on bail. No criminal charges have been filed, according to British police reports.
RAF Fairford, situated roughly 100 miles west of London, serves as a primary forward-operating hub in Europe for the U.S. Air Force. The facility was used by American bombers during strikes against Iran in the conflict that started on Feb. 28. Following the September security alert, the U.S. military pulled its B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base amid worries over a potential drone attack, Al Jazeera and The Guardian reported.
Diplomatic Fallout and New Sanctions
In response to the incident, the British government imposed sanctions against two Iranian nationals. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband identified the targeted individuals as Ruhollah Bazghandi, identified as the head of counterespionage for the Revolutionary Guard, and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, described by officials as a facilitator linked to an organized crime syndicate known as the Zindashti network.
Miliband also summoned Iranian Ambassador Ali Mousavi to lodge a formal protest. On Monday, a coalition of 29 nations, including the United States, Britain, Canada and several European allies, issued a joint statement condemning Iranian-backed operations, citing sabotage, arson, cyber warfare and hybrid threats across allied soil.
Iranian officials have forcefully rejected the allegations. Mousavi met with Stephen Doughty, Britain’s minister for the Middle East, and dismissed the accusations as baseless while stating Tehran was prepared to assist in the inquiry. Iran’s embassy in London previously stated that connecting Tehran to the Fairford arrests was intended to spread anti-Iranian sentiment, although Iranian officials have previously declared that military facilities used to strike Iran are viewed as legitimate targets.
Broader Pattern of European Threats
British authorities stated that the Fairford incident is part of a broader campaign orchestrated by Iranian proxies across Europe. British intelligence services previously attributed arson and sabotage attempts directed at Jewish community sites to networks directed by Tehran. Last week, British prosecutors charged two Iranian men in a separate case accusing them of plotting to target Jewish residents in Manchester with a chemical explosive device on instructions from an operative in Iran.
British counterterrorism detectives continue to investigate the Fairford incident, while authorities review base defense measures following the withdrawal of U.S. bomber aircraft.
