UK Prime Minister Burnham has stated that the UK government believes the Iranian government was involved in a security incident at RAF Fairford air base.

Five men were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of preparing to carry out terrorist acts at the base and are still under police investigation.

Investigators said no explosive devices were found at the scene, but a certain amount of fuel was discovered. As the investigation continues, the five individuals have been released on bail.

When asked by the BBC on Wednesday whether a foreign power was involved, Burnham replied: "We believe so. There are strong indications that Iran was involved in the incident at RAF Fairford over the weekend, but this is of course still an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation." "We are working closely with the US side," he added. "We believe Iran was involved in this."

The Iranian embassy in London on Monday "categorically denied and strongly condemned" attempts to link the case to Iran, calling the claims "baseless and malicious." In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the embassy said such speculation "serves no purpose other than to fuel anti-Iran propaganda in the UK."

RAF Fairford is the preferred forward operating base for the US Air Force Global Strike Command when deploying bombers in Europe. In July, Burnham approved the US use of the base to carry out "defensive strikes" against Iran, continuing the policy of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Earlier reports said investigators believe an alleged plot involving Iranian proxies is the most likely explanation for the incident.