On 12 October Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Parliament the plot against RAF Fairford was "almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard"1. Fairford, in Gloucestershire, had hosted US bombers flying strikes on Iran since the war's opening days. Britain sanctioned Ruhollah Bazghandi, who it says heads IRGC counter-espionage, and a facilitator for the already-sanctioned Zindashti network. Iran sanctions amendments Britain published in September took effect on 29 September.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband summoned Iran's ambassador, Seyed Ali Mousavi, who said "Tehran has had no involvement" and asked for evidence2. Almost 30 governments, among them France, Germany and the United States, condemned Iran's "use of violent attacks". Nobody has been charged, and at least seven of the men arrested have been released. London's attribution rests on intelligence it has not published.
The bombers had already gone. US B-52 and B-1 aircraft left Fairford on 5 October, a Pentagon official told the Associated Press3. Police had arrested British men near the base days earlier and released them on bail. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move had no direct link to the suspected plot.
