Iran Faces Scrutiny After Plot Foiled Near UK Base Used by US Military Forces

The arrests came only days after British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, a prominent figure on the left, met Iran’s foreign minister at the United Nations. British authorities detained five men suspected of having ties to Tehran after they allegedly planned an attack on RAF Fairford, a Gloucestershire military facility used by American forces.

Armed police stopped the suspects as they traveled in three vans said to contain materials believed to be linked to explosives. The five British nationals were taken into custody roughly 350 yards from the base, which has been used by the U.S. military for air operations against targets in Iran.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, told News Media in London on Monday that an Iranian-directed operation appeared highly likely. He also criticized the decision to grant bail, calling it “entirely insane,” and said the men appeared to be Islamist suspects based on an image of them.

Gardiner accused the U.K. government of pursuing a policy of appeasement toward Iran. He pointed to Miliband’s meeting with Iran’s foreign minister during the U.N. General Assembly and argued that Britain was trying to avoid becoming directly involved in the U.S.-led conflict with Tehran.

He described the government as a “socialist appeasement-minded British administration” that, in his view, has shown serious weakness on defense and national security.

Washington and Jerusalem began a joint military operation on Feb. 28 aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities and missile infrastructure.

A person familiar with the investigation had earlier told Reuters that investigators considered an Iranian connection the leading explanation. However, authorities were also examining whether the incident could involve Russian sabotage or an Islamist extremist plot.

Asked Monday whether the alleged bombing plan was connected to Iran’s government, President Donald Trump said it was possible. He questioned why the suspects had been granted bail and linked the issue to his opposition to cashless bail, which he blamed for contributing to broader crime problems in the United States.

Trump said he was surprised the men had been released, adding that British officials had cooperated closely with U.S. authorities. He said American officials knew the suspects well and would not have allowed them to leave custody.

Trump said Sunday that the suspects had been preparing to cause “big damage.” He added that authorities had monitored them for an extended period before making the arrests.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government would not comment further while the case remained active. The spokesperson referred reporters to remarks made by the defense secretary during morning broadcasts and said it would not be appropriate to discuss Trump’s claims in detail.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Kingdom, warned in July that British military sites used in attacks on Iran could be considered legitimate targets for retaliation.

Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, an organization that monitors Iranian espionage and terrorist activity in Britain, said Tehran would have a possible motive. He cited the July arrest in Cyprus of a man accused of spying for Iran near RAF Akrotiri. Iranian officials and state-linked media have also singled out RAF Fairford, describing it as relevant to Iran’s self-defense during Operation Epic Fury.

Brodsky said Iran has repeatedly been accused of orchestrating terrorist operations in Britain through its Intelligence Ministry and the IRGC. He noted that Tehran has also relied on criminal networks as intermediaries, suggesting British investigators may be exploring whether such channels were involved in the Fairford case.

The U.K.’s Counterterrorism Policing Office said the five men were arrested on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act and of preparing to carry out a terrorist act under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.

Vicki Evans, counterterrorism policing senior national coordinator, deputy assistant commissioner, said, “This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation, involving local and national policing, the MOD, and local agencies, who are working together to progress the investigation and support for the community.”

Evans added, “I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised.”

According to an X post by the Iranian regime’s embassy in London, “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base.”

The Iranian Embassy added “The Circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK. The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives.”

Barak Seener, senior fellow at the London-based Henry Jackson Society, told News Media, “The British government has no sense of how to prioritize its national security interests. While British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the U.N. that the United Kingdom will not tolerate intimidation, threats, or hostile activity on British soil, he was sure to take a friendly picture with him, while purposely avoiding meeting any Israeli representative.”

He added, “Similarly, at the Labor Party conference, Ed Miliband spent 15 seconds on Iran, and close to four minutes on Israel. This has led to an environment in which a suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford could take place.”

A spokesperson for the British government told News Media, “The police have issued a statement this afternoon from the head of CTP. We don’t have any further comment at this early stage.”

With respect to the News Media press query about Miliband’s meeting with Araghchi at the U.N., the British government spokesperson sent News Media a readout of the meeting, “The Foreign Secretary told Araghchi that Iran should choose de-escalation and diplomacy instead of prolonging the war. He underlined the importance of restoring freedom of navigation and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the impact continued disruption has on global security and economic stability.

“The Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK’s unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups in UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community. The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response. He also raised the ongoing detention of Craig and Lindsay Foreman, repeating the UK’s call for their immediate release and stressing that their welfare remains a priority for the Government.”