Iran denies involvement in suspected plot targeting US air base in England

Iran has vehemently denied its involvement in a thwarted terrorist attack after five British nationals were arrested near a U.S.-operated air base in England, its London Embassy said Monday.

Tehran “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations” attempting to link the country to the arrest of five individuals near the RAF Fairford air base Sunday, the embassy said in a post to social platform X .

It added that such “fabricated” speculations will “fuel Iranophobia propaganda” in the United Kingdom and that 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.”

British police initially responded to a call around 12:45 a.m. local time Sunday about three large white vans traveling toward the base in southern England. Five men were then held outside a military installation over suspected explosives offenses and later arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism.

But police said Monday that all five men — who are British nationals from London and are between 23 and 25 years old — will be released on bail, sowing doubt into whether their arrest had thwarted an attempted attack.

Investigators are still investigating the explosives’ possible link to Iran, Russia or non-state-backed militant groups.

Asked about the arrests on Sunday, President Trump contradicted British police and said the U.S. and U.K. worked together in detaining the suspects, who he claimed had been “under investigation” for some time.

“They were looking to do big damage,” Trump said of the suspects.

RAF Fairford has been used by the U.S. for decades, and more recently American B-52 and B-1 bombers have taken off from its runways on missions to Iran since the U.S.-Israeli war began in February.

Tehran, which has been linked to a series of attacks in Europe, has repeatedly threatened countries that aid Washington in the war, adding to heightened tensions across the continent, where the U.S. has positioned equipment for use in the conflict.