UK police rearrest two men for aiding Iran's intelligence service plot

Two men have been rearrested in Britain on suspicion of helping Iran’s intelligence service after a suspected plot targeted the United States‑run RAF Fairford airbase in Gloucestershire. The 24‑year‑old British national and the 25‑year‑old dual British‑Iranian were initially taken into custody on September 27 and October 1 respectively, then released on bail. Police re‑apprehended them on Tuesday under the National Security Act as the investigation continues.

The re‑arrests follow a major incident declared around the base last month, when a member of the public reported three “suspicious” vans driving nearby. Armed officers and army bomb‑disposal teams evacuated residents and searched the vans, finding only petrol as an accelerant and no explosives. The incident prompted the United States to pull its bombers from the airfield, and British officials blamed Iran for the attempted attack.

Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, said the case is “hugely complex” and that detectives are pursuing “many lines of enquiry”. He added that investigators consider it “highly likely” that the Iranian state was involved and are probing the level of that involvement and the ambition behind it. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the plot as “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Domestic intelligence chief Ken McCallum warned that Iran and Russia are expanding attacks on UK military sites and said the Fairford incident is not isolated. He noted that more than 50 people have been arrested in Iran‑linked plots over the past year.

The two suspects remain in custody while police examine their contacts and any possible links to Iranian operatives. Five other men in their twenties were also arrested earlier and released on bail pending further inquiry, but no charges have been filed yet. Iran has denied any role, though it has previously said bases used to strike its territory are legitimate targets. The case underscores heightened security concerns around UK military installations as Western forces continue to support operations against Iran.