UK PM Links Military Base Incidents To Iran, Vows Sanctions

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said security incidents at two Royal Air Force (RAF) bases were highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, warning that his government would impose further sanctions against Tehran.

Burnham made the assessment while addressing the House of Commons on Monday, saying the incidents at RAF Fairford and RAF Molesworth raised security concerns at military facilities shared with the United States.

“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 told lawmakers.

He vowed to intensify action against Iranian-linked criminal networks and their funding channels, alongside additional sanctions aimed at limiting Iran’s capacity to threaten Britain.

“We will not tolerate these threats on our soil,” Burnham said.

The incident at RAF Fairford occurred on September 27, when police arrested five men following reports of suspicious vehicles near the base in Gloucestershire.

Police later said they recovered petrol from three vans linked to the suspects but found no explosives. Seven men have since been arrested in connection with the investigation, but none had been charged as of Monday, according to reports.

RAF Fairford has been used by the United States military as a base for strategic bombers. The United States withdrew bombers stationed there last week amid security concerns.

Burnham’s statement marks a stronger public attribution of the suspected plot to Iran, with the prime minister specifically pointing to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran has denied involvement in the incident, rejecting the allegations as unfounded.

The British government has also vowed to target individuals and networks it believes are involved in threats against the country and its international partners.