UK police arrest dual UK-Iranian national in RAF Fairford investigation

Update (1 Oct 2026): UK counter-terrorism police said on Thursday that a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national had been arrested in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, in connection with the RAF Fairford investigation. A second man, a UK national, was questioned under caution. No charges have been brought in the case so far.

UK counter-terrorism police said on Thursday, 1 October 2026, that they had arrested a 27-year-old dual UK-Iranian national in London. The arrest is connected to their investigation into a security incident on Sunday near RAF Fairford, an airbase in Gloucestershire, south-west England. According to the police statement quoted by Deutsche Welle, the man was arrested "on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006." Al Jazeera reported that the arrest took place in central London. Police said a second man, a UK national, was questioned under caution. Al Jazeera reported that he is 26. According to Deutsche Welle, police searched two properties in connection with the arrest. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not name either man or explain how they are connected to the five men arrested on Sunday.

The arrest follows a statement by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday, 30 September, that there are "strong indications" Iran played a part in the incident. His statement does not establish that Iran was involved, and he has not disclosed the basis for his assessment. Iran denies any involvement.

Burnham made the remarks in an interview with BBC News. He also spoke to Sky News. The Guardian quoted him as saying: "There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex, and serious police investigation." He said he could not give further details.

Five men were arrested near the base on Sunday, 27 September 2026, on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences. All five are British, in their 20s and from the London area. They were released on police bail on Monday, 28 September. According to the South China Morning Post, they were released without charge. A local woman had called police after seeing vans and masked men near the base. Deutsche Welle reported that the men were wearing face coverings. It also reported that police seized three white vans on Sunday, evacuated around 85 nearby households and brought in bomb disposal teams.

US bombers have used RAF Fairford to carry out strikes on Iran. According to Al Jazeera, the US has used the base to launch attacks on Iran since March, and the UK has authorised US bombers based there to strike Iranian missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera reported that the US and Israel's war on Iran began in February. It also reported that the base is about 160 km (100 miles) west of London.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter-terrorism police, said: "A police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday morning due to a range of information received, including a call from a member of the public about several vehicles acting suspiciously close to RAF Fairford."

Police said that no explosives were found in the vehicles linked to the incident, but that a quantity of petrol was recovered. According to France 24, SCMP and The Hindu, which carry near-identical wire text, and according to Al Jazeera, police made this announcement on Tuesday, 29 September. The Guardian reported that Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and other officials have indicated security services knew in advance what was happening. According to France 24 and The Hindu, The Times reported that one suspect tipped off police. The Times did not cite sources, and police declined to comment.

Vicki Evans of Counter Terrorism Policing said: "The investigation into circumstances surrounding events in Gloucestershire is hugely complex, and our specialist teams are interrogating multiple lines of enquiry." According to Deutsche Welle, she added: "As we've made clear, we're looking at all possible angles — including possible foreign state involvement. I'd like to thank the public for their continued support and patience whilst we work through this investigation."

What is disputed

Iran's involvement is contested. Al Jazeera's London correspondent Rory Challands reported that, apart from the suspect's nationality, "until now nothing in this case has been made public that specifically links Iran to the incident."

The nature of the incident is also unclear. The Wall Street Journal describes a "foiled" attack or plot against a base used by US forces. Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera and SCMP describe a "security incident", "alleged security incident" or "suspected plot" that remains largely unexplained. "Much of this whole incident is shrouded in mystery, still. The nature of the threat has still not been officially explained by the British police. There have been no charges in this case so far," Challands said. According to France 24, The Times said surveillance, a "dry run" or a stunt were all under consideration.

What each side says

Burnham said the men were released "with the strictest possible bail conditions" and that he has "complete confidence" in the security services. He told Sky News there was "not an urgent need" to recall parliament.

Iran's embassy in London "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" speculation of Iranian involvement, according to France 24 and Deutsche Welle. According to Al Jazeera, the embassy said on Monday that attempts to link Iran to the arrested men were "fabricated speculations" that fuel "Iranophobia propaganda". Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that Burnham was "barking up the wrong tree", according to The Hindu and Deutsche Welle. Al Jazeera reported that his remark was directed at British authorities. According to SCMP, Iran called the accusations baseless and summoned the British ambassador in Tehran on Thursday. Al Jazeera reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned in July that bases used to launch attacks on Iran could be treated as legitimate targets.

According to The Guardian, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington believed a foreign actor was involved and was disturbed by the bail decision. According to Deutsche Welle, US President Donald Trump also questioned the release of the five suspects on bail. The reports do not include his words.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe the nature of the alleged threat or what the suspects intended. Beyond the 27-year-old's nationality, they do not describe any evidence linking the suspects to Iran or any other foreign state. They do not explain the significance of the petrol recovered or name any of the suspects. They do not say what was said when Iran summoned the British ambassador, and only one outlet reports the summons.

Analysis

Thursday's arrest, which Al Jazeera's correspondent described as the sixth in the case, is the first new arrest since the five men were bailed, and the first to involve a suspect with a stated link to Iran. It follows Tuesday's police statement that no explosives were found. As Al Jazeera's correspondent noted, however, that Iran link so far is only the suspect's nationality. The UK government has still not explained publicly the assessment behind Burnham's remarks. Several paths remain open. Police could disclose more about the nature of the threat and how the new suspects relate to Sunday's arrests. Charges could follow, or the investigation could end without them. Diplomatic tension between London and Tehran appears to be growing: Iran has rejected the allegations, and SCMP reports that it summoned the British ambassador. This comes against the IRGC's July warning, reported by Al Jazeera, about bases used to attack Iran. US criticism of the bail decision, from Secretary of State Rubio and, according to Deutsche Welle, President Trump, also points to possible friction between allies. Until more is disclosed, readers may wish to separate what is confirmed from what is not. The arrests, police statements and Burnham's remarks are confirmed. Claims about intent and responsibility remain unverified.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.