Iran denies link to attack on airbase as UK minister warns of ‘proxies’

Tehran condemns ‘unfounded and malicious speculation’ around the attack on the US-used base as British FM vows to ‘act against the proxies of Iran’.Iran has denied any involvement in a suspected plot targeting the Fairford Airbase in the United Kingdom.Iran’s embassy in London condemned in a statement on Monday the “fabricated speculations” linking Tehran to the incident. Five British nationals were arrested in the vicinity of the base, which hosts United States military aircraft that have been used to bomb Iran amid the conflict between the two countries.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Police probe ‘terror’ incident near RAF base used in Iran war: What we knowlist 2 of 3Why has Trump rejected Iran’s peace proposal?list 3 of 3‘Iran ready for doomsday war’, FM Araghchi saysend of listThe suspects were detained on Sunday morning on suspicion of the “preparation of a terrorist act”. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Monday that the UK must be prepared to “confront” all security threats facing Europe and the world, adding: “We will act against the proxies of Iran.”Iran’s embassy in London said that it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets”, asserting that the accusations would fuel “Iranophobia propaganda” in Britain.Iran reserves the right to “take appropriate legal measures”, it added.British police have not thus far linked Iran to the arrests as Counter Terrorism Policing continues investigating.British security officials are exploring “multiple lines of enquiry” on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and “preparation of a terrorist act”.The UK government gave the US authorisation to use bombers based at the RAF Fairford to strike Iranian missile sites that were attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.On Sunday, a source familiar with the investigation said an Iranian-linked motive is considered the most likely, while a Russian sabotage operation or an Islamist plot were also being looked at.