The United Kingdom has formally charged two British nationals in connection with a suspected Iranian-directed plot against a US-operated airbase, an incident that prompted Washington to temporarily withdraw its bombers from the facility.
Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, of London, faces charges under the National Security Act for conduct intended to assist a foreign intelligence service. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charge on Tuesday, and counterterrorism officials identified the foreign power as Iran.
“In this case, we believe that country to be Iran,” said Laurence Taylor, head of British counterterrorism policing, in a statement.
A second man, Nouman Essghir, also 24 and British, was charged under the same act with entering, accessing, inspecting, or approaching a “prohibited place” in a manner “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.” That alleged offense is dated August 22, more than a month before the September 27 incident outside RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.
Both men appeared in a London courtroom on Tuesday morning. Essghir was among five individuals initially arrested near the base in the early hours of September 27. The base is owned by the UK but operated by the US, which had stationed B-1 bombers there for strikes against Iran. Following the security alert, the Pentagon relocated the bombers due to safety concerns.
The timing of Essghir’s charge has drawn attention, as it relates to activity predating the airbase incident. Authorities have not detailed the nature of that earlier activity, but Taylor indicated the investigation has uncovered a broader pattern of alleged Iranian state-directed operations.
“We have seen a range of incidents in recent months that we believe have been directed by the Iranian state,” Taylor said. He echoed recent warnings from MI5’s director general about the growing threat, noting that security services are “working together to intervene, identify and respond to that threat.”
Iran has denied any involvement in the RAF Fairford episode. Five other men arrested in the case remain on bail, a decision that has drawn criticism from former President Donald Trump. Taylor defended the release, saying it allowed investigators to make “swifter progress, better evidence and ultimately us securing the charges.” He acknowledged that such decisions “can sometimes appear illogical to those on the outside,” but insisted there was always a sound rationale behind them.
The case underscores heightened concerns about Iranian espionage and sabotage on British soil, a topic that has also intersected with broader debates over national security policies. Meanwhile, partisan tensions over security threats continue to complicate transatlantic cooperation.
Legal experts note that the National Security Act, introduced in 2023, provides broader powers to prosecute state-linked activities, replacing older espionage laws. The charges against Abdulkarim and Essghir mark one of the first high-profile uses of the act in a case allegedly involving Iran.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have not ruled out further arrests. The US Air Force has not announced when, or if, the B-1 bombers will return to RAF Fairford.
