What happened
The British government believes Iran was involved in an incident at the RAF Fairford air base in England, which is used by US warplanes to launch strikes on Iran. Five British men in their mid-20s were arrested near the base on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, but were released on bail the next day.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that there are strong indications Iran played a part in the incident, but the investigation is ongoing. The police found no explosives in the men's vehicles, only fuel and empty plastic drums. Local media reported that the men might have been trying to steal diesel fuel.
The Iranian Embassy in London denied any involvement in the incident, but Iranian authorities have warned that any bases used to attack Iran would be considered legitimate targets. The UK authorities are working closely with their US counterparts to investigate the incident.
Experts believe that Iran and Russia may be outsourcing sabotage by recruiting young men to carry out low-level attacks for financial compensation. The UK government has previously stated that the Iranian Quds Force directed attacks across Europe, and law enforcement authorities in Estonia have determined that a recent arson attack was commissioned by Russian security services.
