The United Kingdom is continuing its investigation into the perpetrators behind the attempted terror attack at RAF Fairford targeting deployed American bombers. On Monday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated that there is a high probability Iran was linked to the attempted attack and that it was almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Burnham stated: “The Home Secretary will update Parliament regarding the incident at Fairford base, but I can confirm our assessment that there is a very high probability that the incident was coordinated from Iran, and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” U.S. President Donald Trump had also previously indicated that Iran was likely tied to the plot.
Suspicions of Iranian involvement arose from the outset. This followed a July statement issued by the IRGC announcing that RAF Fairford had been placed squarely in the terror organization’s crosshairs. The Revolutionary Guards claimed that because U.S. bombers took off from the facility to carry out strikes in Iran, Tehran possessed a “right” to target the airfield in retaliation.
In the wake of the attempted attack, the United States evacuated its bombers from the installation—a move to which Britain responded by insisting that the base remains exceptionally safe and that no active threat is posed to aircraft stationed on site.