Iran's embassy in London has categorically rejected any involvement in the suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford, describing recent speculation as “unfounded and malicious.” In a statement on social media, the embassy said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” attempts to link Iran to the arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of the base.
Embassy condemns speculation
The statement said the circulation of such “fabricated speculations,” particularly after what it called “criminal acts of aggression” by the United States and Israel against the Iranian people, would only fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK. It added that Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to “misleading and damaging media narratives.”
Suspects are British nationals
Police have confirmed that all five suspects arrested over the potential terror plot are British nationals aged in their 20s and from London. The men were arrested in Whelford, Gloucestershire, in the early hours of Sunday, initially on suspicion of explosives offences and later on suspicion of terrorism.
A villager in Whelford called 999 after seeing three vans and a group of masked men near the base, and dozens of homes were evacuated as bomb disposal teams were called in. Police are investigating whether any potential plot could be linked to Iran, which has used proxies to carry out crimes on British soil in the past.
Investigation ongoing
On Monday, Counter-Terrorism Policing (CTP) said multiple new lines of inquiry have emerged after investigators worked at the scene overnight. CTP Senior National Coordinator, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, described it as a “hugely complex and large-scale operation” involving local and national policing, the MoD, and local agencies.
Evans acknowledged the disruption to local people but reassured them that the activity is in the interest of national security and their own safety. She thanked the emergency services, including armed officers who first attended the scene, and asked for space for Counter Terrorism Policing to work “carefully and clearly.”
The five suspects are being held under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, and officers have been granted an initial extension until later today to hold them in custody.
