Monday, Oct. 12: Burnham tells MPs the RAF Fairford plot was almost certainly directed by Iran's IRGC
The Prime Minister told the Commons on Monday that the suspected plot against RAF Fairford was highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Britain sanctioned two Iranian men and summoned Tehran's ambassador.
Britain has formally blamed Iran for the suspected terror plot against RAF Fairford, the Gloucestershire air base used by US bombers. Updating MPs on Monday, 12 October, the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said the Government's assessment was that the incident was highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, and almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The attribution is the first time the Government has publicly named Tehran as the hand behind the episode of September 27, when three suspicious vans were stopped near the base. Seven people were arrested and later bailed. No explosive materials were found in the vans, although a quantity of petrol was seized.
Mr Burnham told the Commons that the Government would crack down on Iran's use of criminal networks, targeting the networks and their funding streams, and would bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do harm.
We will not tolerate these threats on our soil.Andy Burnham, Prime Minister, updating MPs on the RAF Fairford incident, 12 October 2026, reported by the Press Association
Two Iranian men were sanctioned on Monday, with an immediate asset freeze and travel ban. They are Ruhollah Bazghandi, the IRGC's head of counterespionage operations, and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, described as a facilitator of the Zindashti criminal network.
The Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, summoned the Iranian ambassador. In a statement on Monday, Mr Miliband said Iran's continued attempts to undermine the security of the United Kingdom and its partners through criminal networks, proxy groups and state-backed activity were unacceptable.
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, told MPs that a known individual based in Iran was thought to have co-ordinated the plot.
Britain's move was backed internationally. A joint statement released by the US State Department and endorsed by more than 20 countries condemned Iran, saying the Fairford incident demonstrated the IRGC's continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors, and that any attempt by Iran to threaten or coerce people on their territories was unacceptable.
RAF Fairford was being used by US bombers at the time of the incident. The bombers were removed after the suspected plot, although it remains unclear precisely why the Pentagon made the move. The incident took place against the backdrop of the ongoing war between the US and Iran, and support for the IRGC was banned in July by the then prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer.
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