UK Blames Iran's IRGC for Airbase Plot; Iran Denies Involvement

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated on Monday that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was almost certainly behind a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, an airbase used by U.S. bombers.

The incident, which occurred on September 27, prompted the United States to withdraw its B-1 and B-52 bombers from the facility on October 4 due to security concerns. British police arrested seven men in connection with the incident, finding gasoline in three vans but no explosives. All suspects were released on police bail. The UK announced sanctions against two Iranian nationals, Ruhollah Bazghandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, for alleged hostile activity.

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied any involvement, calling the UK's allegations unfounded and a false flag operation intended to evade accountability for Britain's participation in the ongoing war against Iran. The UK's domestic spy agency, MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum, also warned of a major shift in Tehran's calculus, with increased Iranian ambitions to target military sites.

MI5 reported over 50 arrests in the UK in the past 12 months linked to Iran-related operations. The U.S. and over two dozen other countries have joined a joint statement condemning Iran's alleged use of violent attacks and hybrid activities.