‘Iranophobia’: Tehran rejects links to five arrested near UK airbase
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London: Tehran has rejected allegations that those arrested near a British military base had links to Iran. Five people were arrested by police the other day near RAF Fairford, an airbase in England linked to the US. The five were arrested on terrorism and explosives-related charges and have since been released on bail by British police. The arrests were considered particularly serious against the backdrop of the US-Iran conflict.
The five British citizens from London were released on bail on Monday. They were taken into custody after three vans were spotted in suspicious circumstances near RAF Fairford. Lawrence Tyler, head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said they were released under strict bail conditions, but the investigation was continuing. He added that inquiries were being conducted from multiple angles.
Investigators have not yet established whether any foreign country was involved in the alleged conspiracy. Police are examining whether the suspects have links with Iran, Russia or armed groups in other countries, but the case has not officially been linked to Iran. However, Tyler said all possibilities were being examined, including whether individuals or proxies operating with the support of foreign powers could be behind the incident.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in London said it completely rejected what it described as baseless and malicious allegations made against Iran by some British media outlets and individuals. The embassy said such claims were being made to spread Iranophobia in the UK and warned that it reserved the right to take legal action against them.
However, US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that Iran could be behind the incident and said that, had he been in that position, he would not have released the suspects on bail.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier stated that RAF Fairford was a legitimate target because Britain had allowed the US to use the airbase to launch attacks on Iranian missile sites involved in attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
However, authorities said no explosives had so far been found near the British military base and that a comprehensive investigation was under way. UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain was prepared to defend against all forces posing a threat to the country's security.
Following the incident, an emergency meeting was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Antti Barnam to assess the situation.