UK imposes sanctions on Iranians, rallies global response over Fairford base incident

Britain has imposed sanctions on two Iranian nationals, Rouhollah Bazqandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamrazadeh Jaki, over allegations of hostile activity, espionage, and plotting threats against individuals outside Iran. The move coincided with the summoning of Iran's ambassador in London and a joint condemnation from 29 countries of activities attributed to Tehran, notably an incident linked to the UK's RAF Fairford airbase.

The British government announced that the two men have been added to its sanctions list, which includes asset freezes, a ban on entering the UK, and a prohibition on conducting business in the country. Bazqandi was accused of planning or carrying out espionage for the Iranian regime, as well as threatening or planning attacks on people and property in Britain or other countries.

The sanctions also target Tamrazadeh Jaki, accused of supporting activities related to threatening individuals outside Iran, planning or carrying out attacks on them, or assisting in such acts. Bazqandi previously served as deputy head of counterintelligence and as deputy head of special operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence service.

London summons Iranian ambassador

As part of a diplomatic escalation, London summoned Iran's ambassador to protest what it described as Tehran's attempts to undermine the security of the UK and its partners through criminal networks and affiliated groups. The British foreign secretary stressed that the UK would not tolerate threats on its soil, emphasizing that the new measures target hostile activities carried out on behalf of the Iranian regime.

In response, Iran's ambassador in London rejected the accusations of his country's involvement in the Fairford base incident, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. During a meeting with the UK's Minister for the Middle East, he called on London to refrain from taking positions or making statements without evidence, and affirmed Tehran's readiness to cooperate with relevant authorities in investigating the incident.

Joint condemnation from 29 countries

Alongside the British measures, 29 countries—including the United States, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia—condemned what they described as Iran's hostile activities, pledging to coordinate efforts to uncover, investigate, thwart, and prosecute those responsible.

In a joint statement issued Monday, the foreign ministers of the signatory countries said they "strongly condemn" Iran's use of violent attacks, including "planning deadly operations, arson, sabotage, cyberattacks, and other hybrid activities" against their countries and partners.

The countries backed the UK's assessment of Iranian involvement in the incident at RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base, on September 27. They said the event reflected, according to the UK, "the continued willingness of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps" to conduct hostile activities beyond Iran's borders through covert networks and proxies.

The United States uses Fairford to host long-range strategic bombers, including B-1 and B-52 aircraft. Security concerns following the incident prompted Washington to withdraw its bombers from the base after a threat was detected.

The Associated Press quoted a US official as saying that the Trump administration believed the plot aimed to "kill as many US troops as possible and destroy as many US aircraft as possible."

Investigations have led to the arrest of individuals linked to the case and the discovery of large quantities of gasoline in three trucks associated with suspects, though no explosives were found. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said London has "strong indications" of Iranian involvement and announced plans for further sanctions against Tehran.

The signatory countries did not limit their accusations to the Fairford incident; their statement referenced a "campaign of attacks" in Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and US interests, noting that the "Islamic Right Movement" claimed responsibility.

The 29 countries affirmed their "unity" in protecting their sovereignty, enhancing international coordination, and strengthening their ability to counter threats. They stressed that any Iranian attempt to threaten, intimidate, or harass individuals on their territory—whether through proxies or other means—was "unacceptable."

Tehran, for its part, denies involvement in the Fairford incident but considers the bases used in the attack to be "legitimate targets."