An armed police officer stands guards on a road outside the perimeter of the RAF Fairford airbase, in Fairford, England, on Sept. 28, 2026. Toby Shepheard/Reuters
UK police have rearrested two men, suspected of working for Iran’s intelligence service, for allegedly plotting to attack a U.S.-run air base in England last month, officials said on Oct. 20.
A 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual U.K.–Iranian national were arrested under the country’s National Security Act, according to the National Counter Terrorist Policing unit investigating the case.
Five men were initially arrested on Sept. 27 on suspicion of explosives offenses and suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. Two more were arrested in the following weeks. But all seven were subsequently released on bail due to a lack of evidence for formal charges as the investigation continued.
On Oct. 20, one of the men first arrested on Sept. 27 and another first arrested on Oct. 1 were formally charged.
None of the suspects’ names has been released, including the five other suspects. Counter terrorism police have stated that all are males in their 20s.
Counter terrorism police were alerted to the suspicious activity on Sept. 27 by a local farmer in Gloucestershire, England, who reported three suspicious vehicles heading toward RAF Fairford, about 100 miles west of London.
Authorities evacuated 85 houses near the air base as an explosive team examined the vans the suspects were driving. Offices found gasoline in the vans but no explosives.
A ‘Complex Investigation’
“[Detectives are looking at] many lines of enquiry involved in this hugely complex investigation,” Laurence Taylor, head of the National Counter Terrorism Policing unit, said in a statement on Oct. 20.
“This is very much a live investigation, and our evidence gathering continues, but at this time our position remains the same; we consider it highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement.
“Our investigators are continuing to examine what that level of involvement was and the ambition behind it.”
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told lawmakers last week that the incident was a suspected terror plot “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
Iran continues to deny any involvement in the plot. It condemned Burnham’s allegations. Ambassador of Iran to the UK Seyed Ali Mousavi accused the British government of lacking evidence linking Iran to the incident, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.
The Pentagon had used the base to fly bombing missions into Iran during this year’s conflict. The bombers have since been relocated.
Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum speaks at Thames House, the headquarters of the UK’s Security Service in London on Oct. 13, 2026. Jonathan Brady/PA via AP, Pool
Attacks from Iran and Russia have been expanding in the UK over the past year, according to British intelligence officer Ken McCallum, who serves as the director of the MI5 spy agency.
McCallum warned that both countries were intensifying attacks in Britain, including at Jewish sites and harder targets like military sites.
In all, more than 50 people have been arrested over Iran-linked plots this past year, he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
