On October 1, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi publicly denied the United Kingdom’s claim that Iran had played a role in a recent incident near the Royal Air Force Fairford base, which hosts U.S. Air Force units in southwest England.
British police arrested five men in their twenties in Gloucestershire on Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences. The arrests followed reports that three vans had been observed heading toward the air base, prompting a search of the vehicles and an investigation into addresses linked to the suspects across London.
The day before the Iranian statement, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told BBC News that there were “strong indications” that Iran had been involved in the weekend incident, describing the investigation as “ongoing, complex and serious.” The five men were released on police bail on Monday after the evidence in the vans was examined.
U.S. officials criticized the decision to grant bail. President Donald Trump said the United States would win its war with Iran “very quickly,” claiming Tehran’s military capabilities had been severely degraded and that Washington had established “virtually total control” of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Trump made the remarks during a White House event for National Hispanic Heritage Month, where he also addressed other foreign‑policy topics.
