UK PM says RAF base incidents ‘likely coordinated’ by Iran

UK PM says RAF base incidents ‘likely coordinated’ by Iran

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The UK government has accused Iran of involvement in a security alert outside a UK/US airbase in southern England last month. The British government has summoned Iran's ambassador and announced sanctions against two individuals. Five British nationals were arrested in the vicinity of the RAF Fairford airbase on September 27 on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses. They were later released on bail under strict conditions, and another arrest followed days later. Police had already said they were considering the possibility of a foreign state actor's involvement, not least given RAF Fairford's importance to the US Air Force as one of the European bases that handles heavy bombers like B-1's and B-52's, with ample range to reach Iran.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that the UK might yet put further sanctions on Iran in response. He said there were indications of Iran coordinating the potential plot. "I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)," he said. "We will not tolerate these threats on our soil."

The degree of competence exhibited and the threat posed by the group of young British nationals from London is not entirely clear but seems potentially limited. Preliminary reports suggest that despite a widespread security alert and bomb squad deployment, investigators ultimately did not find viable explosives in the vans. They did, however, find accelerants like petroleum.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Monday that his department had summoned Iran's ambassador to "reiterate" the message that Britain "will not tolerate attacks on our soil." Iran's state news agency IRNA reported Ambassador Ali Moussavi as "categorically rejecting the accusations" and calling on the British government "to present evidence supporting its allegations if it possesses any."

The UK to bring further sanctions against Tehran and IRGC after assessment Iran was likely to have coordinated incident. The prime minister told MPs the UK would bring further sanctions against Tehran and the IRGC in the aftermath of an ambiguous episode that, despite over a fortnight of police investigation, has yet to lead to anybody being charged.

The incident at Fairford comes after what the UK, in the joint statement, said was a recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists and US interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI).

The UK has also concluded this event demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors. A joint statement from the UK, US and other European allies, released by the Foreign Office, added that the UK “has also concluded this event demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors.”

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