UK official Andy Burnham stated there are strong indications that Iran was involved in an incident at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base on Sunday.
The incident led to the arrest of five men, aged between 23 and 25, on suspicion of offenses related to explosives and terrorism. All suspects are UK nationals and have been released on bail.
The BBC reported that Burnham did not provide further details regarding the alleged Iranian involvement. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the allegations and mocked Burnham's statement via the X platform.
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire serves as a base for US Air Force operations in Europe, including US military operations targeting Iranian missile sites.
Iran Denies Allegations of Involvement
Allegations against Iran also surfaced after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the incident at RAF Fairford clearly had links to "foreign actors," though he too did not provide further details or evidence.
On Monday, the Iranian Embassy in London categorically rejected any speculation linking Tehran to the plot.
In a separate development, the Iranian delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) left the US after the conference concluded. A US official told MS NOW that the delegation was required to leave the US after their visit period ended.
US-Iran Talks Yet to Reach Agreement
Indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran's nuclear program and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reach an agreement during the UNGA.
Iran had previously proposed a seven-day agreement that would allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen and nuclear talks to resume, provided the US returned to the terms of the Islamabad framework agreement. However, the proposal was not accepted by President Donald Trump's administration. Trump had previously described Tehran's latest proposal as unacceptable and noted that Iran is under economic pressure.
Developments at RAF Fairford and US-Iran negotiations are currently among the matters being watched by the market, particularly regarding geopolitical risks and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
