Burnham cites 'strong indications' of Iran's role in UK air base terror plot; Tehran rebuffs claim

The British government has raised the possibility of Iranian involvement in an alleged terror plot near a Royal Air Force base used for US military operations against Iran, even as questions persist after the suspects were released on bail and no explosives were found.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications" of Iranian involvement in the alleged plot near RAF Fairford, according to the BBC and other outlets Wednesday (local time).

"I will be able to say more at the appropriate time," Burnham said, "but I can confirm that we believe Iran has played some role in this."

Five men were arrested on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack in the early hours of Sunday near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. The base is used by the US Air Force and has been employed in American military operations against Iran.

Questions about the case mounted as the investigation progressed. British counterterrorism police released all five suspects on bail two days after their arrest, on Tuesday. No explosives were found in the vehicle they were traveling in.

It also emerged that one of the suspects had called police himself before the arrest. British police have continued to investigate, including the possibility of foreign involvement, without publicly disclosing a specific plan or any confirmed link to Iran.

The United States has pressed the case for foreign involvement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said foreign involvement in the incident was "clear." President Donald Trump also publicly expressed frustration over the suspects' release on bail.

Burnham said Britain had been keeping the United States informed. "The government has been briefing the US side throughout this week on what is happening, what we are doing and how we are responding," he said.

He added that the five suspects were subject to "the most stringent bail conditions" and that British investigators were "managing the situation in the most robust and thorough way possible." He said he had "complete confidence in the way the British security services are handling this matter."

Iran has flatly denied any involvement. Iranian officials rebuffed allegations of the country's role in the incident as "propaganda to stoke Iranophobia."

The case has drawn close attention amid concerns that the US-Iran war, now in its seventh month, could extend beyond the Middle East to threaten security around American military facilities overseas. With British investigators yet to publicly establish a concrete link between Iran and the suspects, the key question is whether evidence of foreign involvement will emerge as the investigation continues.