Two people have been arrested after attempting to enter the Faslane nuclear submarine base in Scotland, with one understood to be an Iranian national. The incident occurred late on Thursday afternoon when a 34-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman asked to enter the base, which is home to the UK's Trident submarines and is not open to the public.
The pair did not gain access, but their request prompted immediate concern. They were arrested after remaining nearby and acting suspiciously, according to reports. Police Scotland detained them, and inquiries are ongoing. The Ministry of Defence does not currently consider the incident particularly serious.
The motives of the individuals are unknown, and security sources have stated it is too early to confirm whether this was an attempt at espionage. However, there are heightened concerns about possible Iran-related threats in the UK. The woman's nationality has not been disclosed.
A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed the arrests, stating: 'Police Scotland have arrested two people who unsuccessfully attempted to enter HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday 19 March. As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further.' A Police Scotland spokesperson added that officers were alerted at around 5pm.
Separately on Thursday, two Iranian nationals appeared in court accused of hostile surveillance of locations and individuals linked to the Jewish community in London. Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, an Iranian-British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, faced charges at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
