𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham has revealed that the RAF Fairford plot was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Prime Minister indicated that Iran could be hit with further sanctions over its role in the incident.

The Iranian ambassador to the UK has been summoned to make clear that “Britain will not tolerate threats on our soil”. Speaking to MPs in the Commons on Monday, Mr Burnham said: “I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. We will not tolerate these threats on our soil.

“We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm.” Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley has urged the public to “trust” the police probe into the potential terror plot near RAF Fairford as a seventh suspect was released on bail.

Six other suspects have already been arrested and released on bail after three suspicious vans were stopped near the airbase in Gloucestershire on September 27.

Five of the suspects, all British nationals in their 20s, were arrested the same day.

No explosive materials were found in the vans, but a quantity of petrol was seized, police said, and four days later, a sixth man, a dual UK-Iranian national, was arrested.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defence Staff, said US bombers stationed at the base to support deployments in the Middle East were removed to reduce risk.

He also rejected suggestions that the suspected terror plot could have damaged long-term relations with the US.

The Pentagon confirmed the aircraft had been “redeployed to their home stations in the United States” but stressed the US Air Force retained the ability to strike “anywhere, any time”.

US officials told The New York Times that the redeployment of the bombers had been ordered after more specific details about threats to the base emerged.