Andy Burnham says ‘indications’ show Iran ‘played a part’ in Fairford air base terrorism scare and defends suspects’ release on bail

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham agreed with the White House about the suspected role of Iran in a terrorism scare outside an air base in England.

Five British nationals ranging in age from 23 to 25 were arrested Sunday on suspicion of a terrorist plot near the Royal Air Force Fairford Base outside Gloucestershire. White House officials confidently suggested the situation was an attempted terrorist attack by a hostile foreign power, despite British authorities warning against “international commentary.”

Now, Burnham is confirming that the British government believes Iran played a role in the incident.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham applauds onstage at the Labour Party Conference on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Liverpool, England. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)

“There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation,” Burnham told the media at a Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Wednesday. He affirmed that the U.K. is “working closely with our colleagues in the United States of America.”

Burnham’s comments gel with initial statements offered by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“It’s [an incident] that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” Rubio said in an interview on Monday, though he said he “won’t get into great detail about that yet.”

“I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is we are dealing with elements in the world, and in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally,” he added. “We’re going to always take that very seriously. There will be repercussions for that if it ever were to happen or even attempted.”

Trump initially suggested Iran “might be” involved, but when asked for an explanation, said he would “rather not.”

Tehran has fiercely rejected all claims that the five men have ties to the Islamic Republic, saying Iran “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations.”

British authorities’ decision to allow all five suspects out on bail surprised Trump, who told reporters that the relevant U.S. officials “know everything about them” and “wouldn’t have done that.”

National security experts and former investigators speculated in British outlets that the release of the suspects indicated that there might not be a strong case against the group in terms of terrorism or other violent crimes, but Burnham’s comments on Wednesday seem to suggest that it is still an open question.

“I think people need to understand that, you know, when it says ‘released,’ that isn’t as people might think,” the prime minister explained. “It’s obviously with the strictest possible bail conditions.”

Police guard a road leading to RAF Fairford on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Fairford, England. (AP/Alastair Grant)

British counterterrorism police said Tuesday the suspects are “subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others” and “absolutely remain under investigation” as they “explore multiple lines of inquiry.”

UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE CHIEF SAYS ‘INTERNATIONAL COMMENTARY’ IS HEIGHTENING WORRY OVER ALLEGED FAIRFORD PLOT

“The authorities have this under, as I say, the strongest grip and the closest control, and I can assure you of that,” he continued. “I have complete confidence in the way British security services are handling this.”

Laurence Taylor, the head of national counterterrorism policing in the United Kingdom, announced at a Tuesday press conference that investigators did not find any improvised explosives in their search of the vans but said they had “found a quantity of an accelerant: petrol.”

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