A 25-year-old dual U.K.–Iranian national arrested in London on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts near RAF Fairford was released on bail, authorities said Saturday, according to a report published by Headline USA and described as adapted from the Associated Press.
What police say they found
The man is the sixth person arrested and then bailed in the investigation into a security incident at the U.S.-run air base in England. Earlier, armed officers and army bomb-disposal experts evacuated residents near the base, the report said. Police later said they found a quantity of gasoline in three vans linked to five suspects but no explosives.
Alleged Iran link and denial
British authorities have linked the incident to Tehran, according to the report. It quotes Prime Minister Andy Burnham as saying the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part, without providing details on the suspects’ plans or the basis for the assessment. Iran has denied involvement. The report also states that Iran has previously said it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.
RAF Fairford’s role
The report says RAF Fairford has hosted American bombers and alleges it has been used to strike Iran.
Bail decision draws criticism
Top U.S. officials criticized the decision to grant bail, according to the report. It quotes President Donald Trump as saying, “I wouldn’t have done that,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying many people were “disturbed” by the move.
Wider state-threat backdrop
The report says British security services have assessed that Russia and Iran have used proxies to commit crimes on U.K. soil. It also cites officials saying national-security cases involving hostile-state activity, including Iran, rose by 50% in the six months to December 2025. According to the report, U.K. officials attribute a series of arsons and other attacks—many targeting the Jewish community—to proxies linked to Iran and have warned Tehran could expand its targets in Britain if Middle East conflicts continue.
