Dual UK-Iranian Man Arrested In London Over Alleged Plot At RAF Fairford Bomber Base

London: A man holding both British and Iranian citizenship has been taken into custody following a security scare at an airbase in the south-west of England at the weekend. The British counter-terrorism officers confirmed on Thursday that the suspect, aged 25, was detained in central London. He is being held on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts as part of the inquiry into what happened on Sunday near RAF Fairford.

A second man has also been spoken to by the investigating agencies in connection with the same events. The fresh arrest has been made over an alleged plot to attack an American-operated airbase in England. Following the arrest of the suspect, the police officers have since searched two properties in the city as part of the inquiry.

RAF Fairford, situated around 160 km west of London, has long been utilised by American bombers through decades of Middle East conflicts, including the war waged by the United States and Israel on Iran that began in February.

The arrest comes after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that there were strong indications that Iran played a role in the alleged security incident. Tehran has forcefully rejected any suggestion of involvement. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, hit back at Burnham's allegations and strongly denied any involvement in the incident at the base. The police investigation continues.

Weekend Arrests, Evacuations And What Was Found In Vans

In the early hours of Sunday, 5 men, all termed British nationals in their 20s and from London, were detained close to the base on suspicion of explosives and terror offences. Those suspects have now been released on bail.

At the time, scores of residents living near the airfield were moved from their homes as armed officers and Army bomb-disposal teams moved into the rural area. The police later stated that they had discovered a quantity of accelerant, gasoline, in 3 vans connected to the 5 men, but no explosives were found.

Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, said, "The investigation is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of inquiry. As we've made clear, we're looking at all possible angles — including possible foreign state involvement."

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asserted that the United Kingdom sees "strong indications" that Iran played a part in the incident. He did not set out details about what the suspects were said to be planning or why the UK believes Tehran was involved. However, Iran has denied any involvement, though it had previously stated that that it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.

The decision to grant bail to the 5 men arrested on Sunday has drawn criticism from senior American figures. President Donald Trump said, "I wouldn't have done that" and Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised that a lot of people were "disturbed" by the move. Speaking on Thursday as he left the White House to fly to Texas, Trump said, "I was surprised they were released on bail. I have a lot of respect, however, for Scotland Yard. I think they know what they're doing. But I was a little bit surprised."

Meanwhile, responding to the transatlantic concern, PM Burnham stated that the agencies have the investigation under "the strongest grip and the closest control," and British officials had been "talking to counterparts in the United States all week to explain what is happening here, how things are being done."

The arrests come at a moment of heightened anxiety about threats from hostile states, with British security services saying that both Russia and Iran have used proxies to carry out crimes on UK soil. The British officials have stressed that the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the 6 months to December 2025. 

The UK officials stated that proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arsons and other attacks in Britain and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community and intended to sow fear. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the UK if conflicts in the Middle East continue.