Iran summons UK envoy after PM Burnham hints at Tehran link in Fairford base 'terror plot'

Iran's foreign ministry summoned the British ambassador on Thursday, protesting Prime Minister Andy Burnham's remark suggesting Tehran's involvement in the Fairford base incident.Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, summoned ambassador Hugo Shorter and objected to Britain's continued hostile approach toward Iran. WANA news agency reported.Earlier, the UK PM had mentioned "strong indications" of Tehran's involvement in the airbase incident."There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford," Burnham told the BBC.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the allegations and said Burnham was "barking up the wrong tree"."I can confirm Iran's belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all," he wrote on social media.Ravanchi also pointed to what Iran views as Britain's international responsibility for a range of actions against the Iranian people.He called out the Kingdom's provision of military bases and facilities under its jurisdiction, which were used to prepare and carry out US and Israeli military attacks on Iran.In March 2025, the UK agreed to allow the US to use its bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz. Former British PM Keir Starmer previously had allowed US forces to use the bases only for defensive operations to prevent Iran from firing missiles that put British interests or lives at risk.Bases used by the US include RAF Fairford, and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.Ravanchi said that, from Iran's perspective, the British government's recent claims about an alleged sabotage attempt at Fairford cannot divert attention from Britain's part in the military aggression against Iran.The foreign ministry also called the British government to provide an official explanation regarding the allegations and correct its "inappropriate" approach toward Tehran.Five British men were arrested near Royal Air Force Fairford military base in Gloucestershire on September 27, over a suspected terror plot targeting the airbase, which is used by US bombers. The accused were eventually released, but kept under investigation.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.