After Iran has denied having any links to a suspected plot against an airbase in the UK, saying the accusations were baseless, UK counter-terror police has arrest dual UK-Iranian national, the Associated Press reported.
Iran had denied any involvement in the incident, while UK Prime Minister Burnham on Wednesday hinted at Tehran's ‘strong’ involvement in the incident. Iran also summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over the issue, news agency Reuters reported, citing state media.
What we know about the arrested dual UK-Iranian national
The 27-year-old British-Iranian national was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a US-run air base on the weekend, AP reported. The police also searched two properties in connection with the case.
"As we've made clear, we're looking at all possible angles - including possible foreign state involvement," the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing for the Metropolitan Police, Vicki Evans, was quoted as saying.
What UK PM said
“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," Burnham said in an interview with the BBC.
{{/usCountry}}“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," Burnham said in an interview with the BBC.
{{/usCountry}}The case involves the RAF Fairford base in western England, used by the US military to launch strikes against Iran, where three white vans were discovered, creating a bomb scare and leading to the arrest of five British nationals, who were released on bail on Monday.
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The UK PM further said that they are working with US officials to carry out a probe into the incident. “And of course, we are working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America," he said.
He said that British officials have been “talking to counterparts in the United States all week to explain what is happening here, how things are being done.”
Iran denies involvement
Iran's embassy in London had earlier said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" speculation it was involved in the incident, while foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that Burnham was "barking up the wrong tree".
No explosives found
The probe into the alleged plot further entangled as the police on Tuesday said that no explosives were found in any of the three vehicles, while the nature of the threat has also not been explained by officials. The UK police released on bail the five suspects it had arrested on Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences.
After three days of investigations, including using a bomb disposal team, police said Tuesday they had found no explosives in the vehicles, but they had retrieved a "quantity of petrol".
A day later, The Times newspaper reported that the incident had been foiled after one of the five suspects tipped off the police before the group was apprehended.
Trump, Rubio hint at ‘foreign’ involvement
US President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously indicated that intelligence bodies were aware of the suspects and that a foreign state could be involved, but UK officials had not weighed in.
Britain had given Washington permission to use Fairford for “specific defensive operations into Iran” to destroy Tehran's missiles at source. Since then, US bombers and planes were seen taking off and landing from the base, AFP reported.
Trump had also alleged on Monday that the incident “might be” connected to Iran, a claim refuted by the latter. Iran's embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculations of Tehran's involvement in the incident.