Britain: We believe that Iran played a role in the Fairford base incident

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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that the government believes that Iran played a role in the security incident that occurred near Fairford Air Force Base in England, which is used by American forces, while anti-terrorism police continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

Speaking to the BBC, Burnham said: “We will provide more details in due course, but we can confirm our belief that Iran played a role in this.” The Associated Press reported “strong indications” from the British authorities about the possibility of an Iranian role, as the investigation continues and details of the evidence have not yet been announced publicly.

British police arrested five British men, aged between 23 and 25, all from London, at dawn on Sunday, after spotting three suspicious minivans near the RAF Fairford base in Gloucestershire. The men were arrested on suspicion of crimes related to explosives and preparing a terrorist act.

Counter-terrorism police later announced that no explosives or usable explosive devices were found inside the vehicles, while a quantity of gasoline was found. The five men were released on bail, but remain under investigation.

Commenting on the release decision, Burnham stressed that the matter does not mean the end of the case, saying that people must realize that the phrase “release” does not mean what may come to their minds, explaining that the suspects are subject to strict bail conditions.

British Counter-Terrorism Police Chief, Lawrence Taylor, in turn, confirmed that the investigation is continuing along multiple paths, including the possibility that the suspects may have acted, knowingly or unknowingly, on behalf of a foreign country.

The release of the men sparked American reactions, as US President Donald Trump expressed his surprise at the decision, saying that he would not have released them.

The incident gains additional sensitivity due to the nature of the Fairford base, which is a British base used by the US Air Force, and used by American bombers in operations related to the war with Iran, according to the Associated Press.

On the other hand, the Iranian embassy in London denied any Tehran connection to the incident, and described the speculation linking Iran to the detainees as “baseless and malicious.” Therefore, the alleged Iranian role remains part of the ongoing British investigation, and the authorities have not yet announced the evidence on which they believe there is a connection to Tehran.