Iran has accused the United Kingdom of attempting to frame Tehran for an alleged plot near a military airbase in England, after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the incident was highly likely to have been coordinated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The incident occurred near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on September 27, where US military aircraft have been stationed for operations against Iran. British police arrested seven men in connection with the suspected plot. However, all the suspects were later released on bail, and no charges had been announced as of October 13. Police reportedly found petrol in vehicles linked to the suspects but no explosives.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the accusations, describing them as a possible “false flag operation” intended to shift blame onto Tehran and avoid scrutiny of Britain’s involvement in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Iranian officials also demanded that the UK provide evidence to support its claims.
British officials, meanwhile, maintain that intelligence points to Iranian involvement. The UK government has imposed sanctions on two Iranian nationals over alleged hostile activities, while the United States and several Western allies have condemned what they describe as Iran-linked covert operations. However, officials have not publicly disclosed all the evidence underpinning their accusations.
The dispute has heightened tensions between London and Tehran amid the wider conflict involving Iran. With the investigation still ongoing and the suspects not yet charged, key questions remain about who organised the alleged plot and what its intended objective was.