UK police re‑arrest two men on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence

Police in the United Kingdom have taken two men into custody again on suspicion of aiding Iran’s intelligence service, following an incident at a United States‑run airbase last month. The Counter‑Terrorism Policing unit said the individuals – a 24‑year‑old British citizen and a 25‑year‑old who holds both British and Iranian passports – were arrested under the National Security Act.

One of the suspects was initially detained on 27 September, the day a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford was uncovered. The airbase in Gloucestershire has been used this year to launch strikes against Iran. The second suspect was first arrested on 1 October. Both men were released on bail while investigations continued, but they were rearrested on Tuesday.

In September, police declared a major incident at RAF Fairford and detained several people on suspicion of breaching the Explosives Act. Laurence Taylor, head of National Counter‑Terrorism Policing, described the inquiry as “hugely complex” and said detectives are pursuing many lines of enquiry. “This is very much a live investigation,” he said, adding that it is “highly likely” that the Iranian state was involved. He said investigators are still assessing the extent and purpose of that involvement.

The major incident was triggered after a member of the public reported three vans behaving suspiciously near the base. Armed police and army bomb‑disposal teams evacuated nearby residents and searched the area. Authorities later found petrol in the three vans but no explosives.

The episode led the United States to withdraw its bombers from RAF Fairford, and British officials blamed Iran. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the alleged plot was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Domestic intelligence chief Ken McCallum warned that Iran and Russia are broadening attacks on UK military facilities, noting that the RAF Fairford case is not an isolated event. He said more than 50 people have been arrested in connection with Iran‑linked schemes over the past year. Iran has denied any involvement, though it has previously stated that any base used to strike its territory is a legitimate target.

Earlier, five other men in their twenties were arrested and later released on bail pending further inquiry. No charges have been filed to date.