Marco Rubio: US confirms Islamic Republic's role in Fairford attack plot

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at Andrews Air Force Base on Saturday, 17 October 2026, before a trip to Central Asia, that Washington agrees with Britain's assessment of the Islamic Republic's role in the plot to attack Fairford air base. Fairford, in the west of England, is home to the American bombers that were used in operations against the Islamic Republic.

Asked about the assessment by Britain and NATO, which say Russia and the Islamic Republic may step up sabotage operations in the coming months, Rubio addressed two matters separately. He said Britain has announced that Iranians were behind the plot to attack the base and that the United States has no reason to disagree with that assessment. The US Secretary of State also said Washington has long been concerned that the stalemate in the Ukraine war could lead to escalation, including sabotage operations, and that its scope could extend beyond Ukraine and Europe.

The Fairford base case

Britain's counter-terrorism police announced on 27 September the arrest of five young British men near Fairford base, and the next day an Iranian-British citizen was also arrested in London; all of them were later released on bail. On 30 September Rubio had said that "a foreign actor" was clearly involved in the incident, but gave no details at the time. In late September, after receiving intelligence about a drone attack threat attributed to the IRGC, the United States moved its B-1 bombers out of the base.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on 12 October that the plot was most likely coordinated in Iran and "almost certainly" carried out on the orders of the IRGC. The same day, dozens of countries, including the United States, endorsed London's assessment in a joint statement and condemned the Islamic Republic's sabotage, cyberattacks and covert operations abroad. Ken McCallum, head of Britain's domestic intelligence service (MI5), also warned on 13 October that the Islamic Republic has stepped up its attempts to target more sensitive sites, including military facilities in Britain.

Tehran's denial and the pattern of transnational repression

The Islamic Republic has denied any role in the plot, and its Foreign Ministry summoned Britain's ambassador in Tehran on 13 October. The denial comes as European governments have repeatedly exposed the Islamic Republic's operations on their soil in recent months; from German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul's warning about Tehran's hostile actions in Europe to the conviction in Britain of a hired killer from the Foxtrot network.

The US Secretary of State's endorsement of London's assessment turns the Fairford case from a bilateral accusation between London and Tehran into a shared position of the two main allies in the war with the Islamic Republic.

The US Secretary of State accepted Britain's assessment: the plot to attack Fairford base was the work of the Islamic Republic.