Burnham said there is a (Image: Getty)
Iran’s foreign minister has hit back at Andy Burnham claiming he is “barking up the wrong tree” after the Prime Minister suggested “Iran played a part” in the suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford.
Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: “I can confirm Iran’s belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
The post follows the Prime Minister saying there was “a strong indication that Iran played a part” in the terror plot at RAF Fairford on Saturday.
Five British men, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosive offences and terrorism near the military base before being bailed under investigation on Monday.
Burnham was asked about the case on Wednesday and said: “There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation.”
PM Burnham says the UK Government “can confirm our belief that we believe Iran to have played a part” in the RAF Fairford incident.
I can confirm Iran’s belief that releasing supposed terrorists working for foreign states really says it all.
You’re barking up the wrong tree.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) September 30, 2026
He told Sky News: “People will know, though it’s consumed quite a considerable amount of my time here in Liverpool this week. I did chair COBRA on Monday.
“We have been waiting to confirm what we could say, but we can now confirm our belief that Iran played a part.”
Burnham added he would not hesitate to recall Parliament if required.
He was also urged to comment on the US President’s disappointment over the release of the suspects and said: “The authorities have this under, as I say, the strongest grip and the closest control, and I can assure you of that.”
The site in Gloucestershire has been used by the US after Starmer gave the country permission to use British bases for “defensive” strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday the suspected plot “clearly involves the hand of a foreign actor” but refused to provide further detail.
Counter-Terror Investigation Continues After Major Incident Declared At RAF Fairford (Image: Getty)
British investigators are understood to be looking into the involvement of Iran in the plot.
However, its London embassy has strongly denied any involvement in the events in Gloucestershire.
The comments comes after it is understood one of the five men arrested rang 999 on himself in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Armed police rushed to the scene and arrested the five suspects on suspicion of explosives and terrorist offences near the base.
A local farmer also dialed 999 an hour later, after finding three vans blocking a road near RAF Fairford but the force were already on scene.
A quantity of petrol was found by counter-terror police but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert.
Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter-terrorism, said on Tuesday that a police response was activated in the early hours of Sunday “due to a range of information that we received”.
He added that the five suspects released on bail “remain under investigation” and “must adhere to very strict conditions”.