Burnham Says IRGC ‘Almost Certainly’ Directed RAF Fairford Incident

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Parliament on Monday that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps almost certainly directed the September incident near RAF Fairford.

The September 27 incident was “highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” Burnham said.

He pledged action against criminal networks Iran uses and their financing, along with further sanctions. Britain would not accept threats within its territory, he told lawmakers.

The statement went beyond Burnham’s earlier assessment, around September 30, that there were strong indications of Iranian involvement.

Sanctions and Diplomatic Response

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned Iran’s ambassador to convey Britain’s position.

The government also announced sanctions against two Iranian nationals accused of facilitating or carrying out hostile activity for the Iranian regime.

One was Ruhollah Bazghandi, head of the IRGC’s counterespionage operations.

The other, Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, was described as a facilitator for the Zindashti criminal network, which has been linked to plots targeting Iranian dissidents across borders.

The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and disqualification from serving as a company director.

Seven Arrests, No Explosive Devices

The investigation began after reports of three suspicious white vans approaching RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire during the early hours of September 27.

One of the men subsequently arrested reportedly made the initial emergency call at about 12:45 a.m. A farmer separately reported seeing men wearing balaclavas.

Armed officers detained five British men in their early-to-mid 20s near Whelford.

Initially arrested on suspicion of Explosives Act offenses, they were subsequently also detained on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

Authorities evacuated about 85 homes and established a 400-meter cordon. A bomb-disposal robot inspected the vehicles, and counterterrorism police took over the investigation.

Searches uncovered petrol but no improvised explosive devices. Police released the five men on bail with stringent conditions.

Two more men were later arrested, including a dual British-Iranian national aged about 25. All seven were released on bail as inquiries continued.

Police said they were examining possible involvement by foreign-state proxies or people acting for a foreign state, including individuals who might not have known whom they were serving.

U.S. Bombers Withdrawn

RAF Fairford had hosted American B-1 bombers during the U.S.-Israeli conflict involving strikes on Iran.

The IRGC had warned that bases supporting attacks on Iranian territory could be targeted.

U.S. officials subsequently referred to a suspected Iranian-linked plot, including possible drone activity.

President Donald Trump said an Iran-linked threat prompted the bombers’ return to the United States.

He also said the arrested men had been under observation and intended to cause “big damage.”