Britain says Iran's Revolutionary Guard almost certainly directed a suspected plan to attack RAF Fairford, a base used by US bombers.
The big picture: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham gave the government's firmest attribution yet for the suspected September plot. He told lawmakers the plan was highly likely coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- RAF Fairford has hosted American bombers used to strike Iran during the ongoing war. Scores of nearby residents were evacuated on Sept. 27 as armed police and army bomb disposal teams entered the area.
By the numbers: Police arrested seven men, all in their 20s. Six are British nationals and one holds dual UK and Iranian citizenship; all were released on bail and none had been charged by Monday.
- Investigators found gasoline in three vans linked to the first five suspects. Police reported finding no explosives.
The other side: Iran denied involvement and urged Britain to provide evidence. Tehran has separately said any base used to attack Iranian territory is a legitimate target.
- Britain summoned Iran's ambassador Monday and added two Iranians to its sanctions list, including the Revolutionary Guard's counterespionage chief. UK authorities said the men helped conduct espionage and attacks in Europe and the US.
What's next: Counterterrorism police continue to investigate the suspects and the vans. The absence of charges means the government's intelligence assessment and the evidence needed for a criminal case remain on separate tracks.
Why it matters: A state-directed plot against a US military facility inside Britain would widen the Iran conflict beyond conventional battlefields. It also puts force protection, local security and allied coordination at the center of every base supporting strikes.
