PM says Iran 'highly likely' behind RAF Fairford incident

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 13 Oct, 14:02 · Archive

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Parliament that Iran is 'highly likely' to have coordinated a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford in September.

Three suspicious vans were seen near RAF Fairford in the early hours of 27 September, resulting in a mass evacuation. Seven people have since been arrested by counter-terror police on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences; all were released on bail and none have been charged. Iran has categorically rejected involvement in the suspected plot.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the Commons on 12 October: '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.' He said the government would 'crack down on Iran's use of criminal networks' and bring further sanctions to restrict Iran's capacity to harm the UK.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned the Iranian ambassador and announced sanctions against two Iranian nationals: Ruhollah Bazghandi, head of counterespionage operations within the IRGC, and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, a facilitator of the Zindashti criminal network. Both face an immediate asset freeze, travel ban and director disqualification.

MI5's head Sir Ken McCallum said on 13 October that the RAF Fairford incident 'is not unique'. He reported over 50 arrests in Iran-linked operations in the past year, including arson attacks on Jewish sites in London and an alleged terror plot against a Manchester synagogue. He said MI5 is devoting more resources to countering state threats in 2026 than during the Cold War.

How it is being reported

• Iran-linked incident near RAF Fairford ‘not unique’, MI5 boss saysTHE Iran-linked incident near RAF Fairford is ‘not unique’, the head of MI5 has said, as the regime moves towards harder targets like military sites.Wilts & Glos Standard · 13 Oct, 13:29
• RAF Fairford incident ‘highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran’, PM saysA SUSPECTED terror plot near RAF Fairford was ‘highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran’, Andy Burnham has said.Wilts & Glos Standard · 12 Oct, 17:11
• Andy Burnham says Iran 'highly likely' behind RAF Fairford incident'We will not tolerate these threats on our soil'Gloucestershire Live · 12 Oct, 16:22

In this story: Andy Burnham · Ed Miliband · Ken McCallum · RAF Fairford · Iran · Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps · MI5

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem