British counterterrorism police on Tuesday rearrested two men on suspicion of assisting Iranian intelligence in connection with an alleged plot targeting RAF Fairford, a British air base used by the U.S. military to launch strikes against Iran earlier this year.
The suspects, a 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national, were detained under the National Security Act as investigators intensified their examination of possible Iranian state involvement in the September 27 incident.
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A B1 bomber prepares to take off as police officers guard a checkpoint near RAF Fairford air base, in Fairford, England, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026
(Photo: AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
The 24-year-old was among five men initially arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, southwestern England, while the 25-year-old was arrested several days later in central London. Both had previously been released on bail.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, head of Britain's National Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators increasingly suspected a connection to Tehran.
"This is very much a live investigation, and our evidence gathering continues, but at this time our position remains the same; we consider it highly likely that there is Iranian state involvement," Taylor said.
"Our investigators are continuing to examine what that level of involvement was and the ambition behind it," he added.
The investigation stems from a major security incident near RAF Fairford on September 27, when five men were arrested after suspicious activity was reported close to the installation. Two additional suspects were detained in the following days, bringing the total number of arrests to seven. The five men not rearrested Tuesday remain on bail. No charges have been filed.
The initial incident prompted a large-scale security operation involving armed police, military bomb disposal teams and the evacuation of dozens of nearby residents. Investigators discovered three suspicious vans containing gasoline, which police described as an accelerant, but found no explosives.
An aircraft at Fairford Air Force Base, which serves as a 'forward outpost' for the US Air Force
(Photo: Reuters)
Early reports had suggested the vehicles contained explosive materials, raising fears of an imminent attack. Police subsequently clarified that no explosive devices had been recovered.
RAF Fairford has played a significant role in American military operations against Iran. U.S. B-1 bombers stationed at the base were used in strikes against Iranian targets during this year's conflict, making the installation a potential target amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Following the September incident, the United States withdrew its B-1 bombers from the base amid security concerns.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week that the suspected activity at RAF Fairford was likely coordinated from Iran, an allegation rejected by the Iranian ambassador to Britain.
Tehran had previously denied any connection to the suspected plot. In a statement following the initial arrests, the Iranian Embassy in London condemned what it called "malicious and baseless speculation," accusing those linking Iran to the incident of fueling anti-Iranian sentiment in Britain.
The arrests followed an unusual encounter involving a local farmer who reported seeing three vans blocking a rural road near the base shortly after midnight on September 27.
According to earlier British media reports, the woman was returning from a party when she noticed the vehicles and several masked men acting suspiciously near the installation. After turning her car around, she saw men scattering into nearby fields and trees, including in the direction of the air base.
She immediately contacted emergency services and warned other residents through a local WhatsApp group. Police arrived within minutes and detained the five initial suspects.
"It looks like by doing that I basically disrupted whatever they were planning," the woman told British media.
Police officers guard an area as roadblocks remain in place near RAF Fairford airbase, after police declared a major incident at the base and arrested several men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act, who have since been released on bail, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, September 29, 2026
(Photo: REUTERS/Toby Shepheard)
The farmer later said the vans appeared to display suspicious business markings and telephone numbers. Fuel2U, a British fuel delivery company whose name reportedly appeared on the vehicles, denied any connection to them.
Her account raised questions about whether the suspected plot had been uncovered through intelligence gathering or an unexpected encounter with a civilian.
U.S. President Donald Trump subsequently praised the arrests, saying British and American authorities had worked together to apprehend the suspects. He claimed the men had been under joint surveillance for an extended period and had intended to cause serious damage to the installation.
However, British media reported that local police had responded to information from residents rather than a preplanned intelligence operation.
British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting praised the farmer's actions but suggested that her account did not reflect the full extent of the authorities' knowledge. "She did exactly what we would hope someone in such an unusual situation would do, and I am genuinely grateful to her," Streeting said at the time, adding that she had only a "partial picture" of events.
The woman later criticized the response, saying investigators had not contacted her for a follow-up interview despite her role in reporting the suspicious activity.
The investigation has taken on added significance because of Iran's previous warnings that military installations used to conduct American strikes against Iranian territory could become targets. Tehran threatened in July to target bases such as RAF Fairford if U.S. aircraft continued using them for operations against Iran.
The latest arrests mark a significant development in the investigation, with police now explicitly identifying Iran as the foreign state suspected of involvement and examining whether individuals in Britain were acting on behalf of its intelligence services.
Taylor emphasized that investigators were pursuing multiple lines of inquiry in what he described as a highly complex case. "We know the public have unanswered questions," he said. "I want to be as transparent as possible and when we are in the position to share more, we will."