British police are expected to release five terrorism suspects on bail Monday, following their arrests over an alleged plot targeting a U.S. air base in the United Kingdom.
Laurence Taylor, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation into the five men remains ongoing. Authorities are examining whether the alleged activity may have been carried out by proxies, or by people knowingly or unknowingly acting on behalf of a foreign state. Iran’s embassy in the U.K. has denied any involvement by Tehran or the suspects.
The arrests on Sunday night followed a report from a local resident and farmer in Gloucestershire. She told the BBC that she contacted police after finding three white vans blocking a road near RAF Fairford. When she turned her car around, her headlights revealed a group of “hooded and masked men.” The men appeared to panic after being seen and ran into nearby woodland, she said.
FAIRFORD, ENGLAND – JULY 25: A B1 Bomber at RAF Fairford on July 25, 2026 in Fairford, England. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire a “legitimate target” after U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers used the British base to launch defensive bombing missions against Iranian military targets. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Authorities described the five suspects as “U.K. nationals” but released no additional information about their identities.
RAF Fairford houses major U.S. Air Force assets and has served as a launch point for several American operations in the war against Iran in recent months.
Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the farmer had provided at least a “partial picture” of what happened.
“I do want to thank the member of the public who acted quickly and called this in,” Streeting told the BBC.
Police at a road block on the road to RAF Fairford after major incident has been declared, with armed police manning a cordon near the village of Whelford in Gloucestershire, near RAF Fairford which is used by the United States Air Force (USAF). Picture date: Sunday September 27, 2026. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images)
“I would also just say, respectfully, that she has a partial picture. And I won’t go beyond that, in terms of commenting on operational security matters,” he added.
The woman, who asked not to be identified, told the BBC she was astonished that her 999 emergency call may have “foiled whatever plans they had.” She also said she was surprised the air base did not appear to have stronger surveillance and security measures.
Iran’s embassy in London issued a forceful denial Monday, rejecting any connection to the arrests near RAF Fairford.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base,” the embassy said in a post on X.
Ground crew prepare to load munitions onto a U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber at RAF Fairford on March 11, 2026, in Fairford, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
“The Circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the U.K.,” the statement continued.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives,” it added.
