UK Rearrests Two Men in Alleged Iran Intelligence Plot

British authorities recently rearrested two men on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in connection with an alleged Iranian intelligence plot targeting RAF Fairford. The suspects, a 24-year-old British national and a 25-year-old dual British-Iranian national, were detained under the 2023 National Security Act on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Both individuals had previously been arrested and released on bail following an incident at the air base last month.

The initial arrests occurred on September 27, 2026, when five men were apprehended in vans near RAF Fairford, a British air base utilized by U.S. B-1 bombers for strikes against Iran. While no explosives were found, investigators discovered gasoline in the vehicles. Following these events, the United States relocated its bombers from the base.

British counterterrorism officials and Prime Minister Andy Burnham have stated that it is "highly likely" there is Iranian state involvement, with the plot "almost certainly" directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran has consistently denied these allegations, and the investigation remains active with no charges filed yet.