UK Prime Minister Challenged on Iran's IRGC After Airbase Plot: 'Iran Smells Weakness'

Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced calls on Monday to implement direct measures against Iran following alleged involvement in an attack on a British airbase. The UK government announced sanctions targeting two Iranian nationals implicated in plots against Britain, which Mr. Burnham attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden asserted that Iran perceives the UK as an adversary and detects a 'weakness'.

Mr. Dowden stated that Iran had attempted attacks on bases located in Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), Akrotiri (Cyprus), and Fairford (Gloucestershire). The UK had previously imposed sanctions on the IRGC in July, subsequent to the initial two incidents and a series of attacks on dissidents in prior years. Mr. Dowden suggested that a successful attack would necessitate a direct response and requested a commitment to 'enhanced support and assistance to allies under constant attack', referencing recent attacks on Saudi Arabia.

In response, Mr. Burnham affirmed that Britain was providing the 'most robust response' and 'playing its part'.

Under the new sanctions, Ruhollah Bazghandi, identified as the head of counter-espionage operations within the IRGC, will face an asset freeze, travel ban, and restrictions on running companies in the UK. The government believes he was directly involved in threatening, planning, or executing attacks against the UK or its allies. Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, described as a key organiser of the Zindashti criminal network and involved in plots against Iranian dissidents, has also been sanctioned for supporting planned attacks.

These developments were announced as Mr. Burnham informed the House of Commons that it was highly probable the incidents at RAF Fairford, an airbase utilized by the US for operations against Iran, were coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the IRGC. Seven men were arrested and subsequently released in connection with a suspected attack on the Gloucestershire base. Authorities discovered petrol in vans near the base but no viable explosives, and investigations are considering the potential involvement of a foreign state.

The US decided to withdraw its B-1 bomber aircraft from RAF Fairford, with conflicting reports suggesting either direct intelligence of a drone attack plot or a precautionary measure.

British authorities have accused Iran of involvement in numerous plots within Britain. In July, the UK utilized new powers to curb state-sponsored proxies, banning support for the IRGC and a related group accused of attacks on locations associated with Jewish and Israeli communities and Persian-language media.

Mr. Burnham stated, “We will not tolerate these threats on our soil. We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams. And we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity if Iran and the IRGC to do us harm.”

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband declared Iran’s persistent efforts to undermine the security of the UK and its allies through criminal networks, proxy groups, and state-backed malign activity as 'unacceptable'. The Iranian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office, but the Tehran state news agency subsequently dismissed the British allegations as baseless.

“This government will never waiver in our commitment to tacking Iran’s unacceptable actions and protecting our national security. We have already designated the IRGC under our new state threats powers, and imposed major sanctions on those responsible for Iran's malign activity,” Mr. Miliband added.

The Foreign Office reported that the UK had identified at least 15 credible Iranian-backed threats to kill or kidnap individuals in the UK between 2022 and 2023, with this number exceeding 20 in 2025.