Andy Burnham: RAF Fairford incident ‘almost certainly’ directed by Iran

The US and UK have led international condemnation of Iran after Andy Burnham said it was “highly likely” Tehran was behind the RAF Fairford incident. The Prime Minister said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “almost certainly” directed a suspected terror plot targeting the air base in Gloucestershire, which was used by US bombers. A joint statement released by the US State Department, endorsed by more than 20 countries, condemned Iran for actions including “lethal plotting, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks” around the world.

Meanwhile Ruhollah Bazghandi, the IRGC’s head of counterespionage operations and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, a facilitator of the Zindashti criminal network, were hit with sanctions including an immediate asset freeze and travel ban by the UK Government. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned the Iranian ambassador. Updating MPs on the Fairford incident, the Prime Minister said: “I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

“We will not tolerate these threats on our soil. “We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm.” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs a “known individual based in Iran” was thought to have co-ordinated the plot. In a joint statement the US, UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden condemned Iran.

They said the RAF Fairford incident “demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors”. “This comes soon after the recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and US interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI),” the statement added. The nations said “any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce people on our territories through proxies or any other means is unacceptable”.

Mr Miliband said in a statement on Monday: “Iran’s continued attempts to undermine the security of the United Kingdom and international partners through its criminal networks, proxy groups and state-backed malign activity is unacceptable.” Andy Burnham told MPs Iran could be hit with further sanctions Credit: House of Commons/UK Parliament Support for the IRGC was banned in July by then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. The Fairford incident took place against the backdrop of ongoing war between the US and Iran, which has disrupted oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz waterway and driven a hike in energy prices.

The base was being used by US bombers, which were removed after the suspected terror plot drama, although it remains unclear precisely why the Pentagon made the move. The situation with Iran was raised during a call between Mr Miliband and his US counterpart Marco Rubio on Monday. Reporting on the talks, US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said: “They reiterated their shared commitment to safeguarding transit in the Strait of Hormuz and the importance of holding Iran to account for its actions and of continued collaboration to secure US assets in the United Kingdom.

“Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the value of our close partnership to stabilise global energy markets while also bringing the Russia-Ukraine conflict to an end through a negotiated settlement.” Seven people have been arrested and bailed over the incident at RAF Fairford after three suspicious vans were stopped near the airbase on September 27. No explosive materials were found in the vans but a quantity of petrol was seized.