The British government on Monday accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran for a significant security incident at the RAF Fairford airbase located in southwestern England. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced in a parliamentary session that this incident was "almost certainly" orchestrated by the Revolutionary Guard.
Details of the Incident at the Airbase
This airbase, which was considered an operational base for the United States Air Force, suddenly withdrew all of its B-1 bombers from the location following a suspicious event on September 27. Burnham emphasized in his speech that Britain's assessment of the incident indicates that "it is very likely that this action was coordinated in Iran and was approximately directed by the Revolutionary Guard."
He also stated: "We will not tolerate these threats on our soil and will fully utilize our powers to target Iran's criminal networks and finance them." Burnham referred to the types of actions that include "lethal plots, arson, sabotage, cyberattacks, and other hybrid activities."
International Reactions and Legal Actions
The British Foreign Office also announced in a statement that the Iranian ambassador in London has been summoned to discuss the matter. Edward Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, reported the designation of two Iranian citizens due to their roles in hostile activities on behalf of the Iranian regime. These individuals include Ruhollah Bazghandi, the head of counterintelligence operations of the Revolutionary Guard, who has been placed under severe restrictions.
This incident has sparked speculation about the source and nature of the threat. Police were dispatched to the location after a local farmer reported suspicious activities by a group of men with white vans. Despite extensive counter-terrorism investigations, seven suspects who were arrested in the following days, including a British-Iranian citizen, were all released on bail and none have been charged.
The British government had granted permission in March for the use of Fairford airbase for "specific defensive operations against Iran," and bombers and other aircraft had also taken off and landed at this base. Former US President Donald Trump stated that Washington withdrew its bombers due to "threats" that appeared to be related to Iran.
In this statement, Miliband noted that Britain had previously designated the Revolutionary Guard under its new government threat powers and imposed significant sanctions against officials involved in Iran's malign activities.
