• Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, says his country is “fully prepared” if the war with the US resumes, after Washington rejected Tehran’s seven-day roadmap to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
• US President Donald Trump has said he expects more talks with Iran this week and claims Washington is going to win the war very soon.
• The US military has rejected Tehran’s claim that the Iranian military seized an advanced underwater US drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Five men have been arrested near a United Kingdom airbase used by the US to attack Iran on suspicion of explosive and “terrorism” offences.
   

US envoy says Iran’s Hormuz plan rejected over demand for sanctions relief

Mike Waltz, the US envoy to the UN, says Washington rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz because it came with a “request to have access to billions in frozen funds and a request for the lifting of sanctions”.

“These aren’t just the United States’ sanctions,” he told NBC News.

“These are global sanctions. It’s worth reminding people that this is the world’s position.”

Waltz noted that “there has been not one, not two, but seven UN Security Council resolutions over the last 20 years saying Iran cannot and should not have a nuclear weapons program”.

He added that the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, had also referred Iran to the Security Council “for violations”, including Tehran’s refusal to allow inspectors into the country and to provide “proper oversight of their enrichment”.

“These aren’t just the United States’ sanctions”

All sanctions by the US were unilaterally taken. So are the sanctions imposed by the European Commission and  individual states.

Sanctions by the US have affected economies around the globe.

Diplomacy still ‘ongoing’ after Trump’s rejection of Iran’s Hormuz plan

Abas Aslani, senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, says diplomatic efforts are continuing despite Washington’s rejection of Tehran’s proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“The process is yet ongoing,” Aslani said.

“In high-stakes diplomacy, you might be hearing different words from different podiums, specifically when it comes to US President Trump, who has been contradicting himself in a very short span of time,” he said. That’s why Iran is waiting for an official response through the mediators, Aslani added.

While the issue remains unresolved, Aslani said “there has been some progress” in diplomatic efforts in New York City, where Iranian delegates, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, attended the UN General Assembly.

“The question now is not whether Washington and Tehran are willing to negotiate, but about who is going to abandon the primary leverage first,” he said. “It’s normal for the two sides to throw public statements that might try to pressure the other side in order to make more concessions.”

Aslani said there is still “some hope” as talks continue, but added: “We have to be a bit more patient to see what the coming days bring to us.”

Oil prices climb after Trump rejects Iran’s peace deal

Oil markets have opened in Asia, with prices rebounding after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent Crude futures rose more than 1 percent to $105.64 a barrel by 00:36 GMT, Reuters reported, while US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed more than half a percent, reaching $93.11 a barrel.

Oil prices continue to climb after Trump rejects Iran’s proposal

Brent crude is up 2.8 percent to $107.26 a barrel as of 07:15 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.8 percent to $94.07 per barrel.

“Middle East tensions have flared again after President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” wrote Stephen Innes at Quintex Intel.

“Oil has pushed higher, Asian equities are softer, and suddenly the brief Friday reprieve in global fixed income looks more like an intermission than the end of the show,” he added.

“The market is still pricing some probability that everyone eventually finds their way back to the table, even if they continue to spend the next few weeks shouting across it first.”

Oil prices rise 3.8% with US-Iran peace talks deadlocked

Brent crude oil prices have rebounded more than 3 percent after Trump rejected a peace deal from Iran to resolve their ⁠conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent futures rose $3.98, or 3.82 percent, to $108.30 a barrel at 09:59 GMT while US West Texas intermediate crude was at $95.93 a barrel, up $3.52 or 3.81 percent.

“Oil prices appeared to have jumped on the back of President Trump ⁠rejecting Iran’s peace proposal,” said Hamad Hussain, senior climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.

“While greater flows through the Strait of Hormuz are easing some of the upward pressure on prices, the bigger picture is that the oil market remains in a deficit,” Hussain added.

Middle East oil exports rebound as Saudi Arabia boosts shipments

Crude oil exports from major Middle East producers have rebounded to their highest levels in September since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, Reuters reports.

Citing data from the maritime intelligence firm Kpler, Reuters said exports rose to 12.8 million barrels per day in September, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates increasing shipments.

This is still well below the 18.8 million bpd seen in February before the war began.

The rebound followed a recovery in exports via the Strait of Hormuz, which were set to hit about 7.4 million bpd this month, Reuters reported.

It said Saudi Arabia – which has diverted oil exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu following attacks on its East-West pipeline – was on track to ship about 5.4 million bpd this month, rebounding from 2.446 million bpd in August.

Iran says it ‘completely controls’ Hormuz ‘despite rhetoric of the enemy’

An Iranian military official has doubled down on Tehran’s command over the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

“Despite the rhetoric of the enemy, the fact is the Strait of Hormuz is under our complete control,” said Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, who serves as chief of staff of Iran’s army.

“We act decisively in the north of the Oman Sea and east of the Strait of Hormuz and do not allow anyone to cross” Sayyari added.

“West of the Strait of Hormuz, the strait itself, and the Persian Gulf are under the full control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps navy. East of the Strait of Hormuz and the north of the Indian Ocean are under the full control of the navy.”

The US has rejected an Iranian plan for a seven-day ceasefire to reopen Hormuz to maritime trade, extending the stalemate to end the war.

Araghchi says Iran remains steadfast, ‘even if it comes to an apocalyptic war’

Yesterday, the Iranian foreign minister has told NBC News that his country is “fully prepared” to resume war with the US after Trump rejected Tehran’s peace proposal at the UN General Assembly last week.

Abbas Araghchi took to X to reiterate the message.

“President Pezeshkian and I did not come to New York to sell a war. We came to forge peace,” he wrote. “Iran nonetheless remains steadfast in the face of any aggression – even if it comes to an apocalyptic war.

“At the same time, we are ready for real diplomacy.”

Iran’s main airport remains fully operational despite US sanctions, CEO says

Ramin Kashef-Azar, CEO of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International, says the airport remains fully operational despite US sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry.

He told Iranian media that the airport continues to serve more than 30 international destinations and that 60 flights operated successfully on September 23, the day the sanctions took effect.

The US Treasury Department sanctioned 27 airlines on September 8, covering the remaining Iranian carriers not previously sanctioned. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said airports and companies that provide Iranian-operated aircraft with fuel, landing services or ticket sales risk secondary sanctions that could cut them off from the US financial system.

Oman and the UAE have since suspended Iranian flights, and four airports in Iraq have halted them. Iranian airlines continue to fly to countries including China and Russia.

Iran files complaint to UN over US aviation sanctions

Iran has lodged a complaint with the UN over US sanctions against its aviation sector that have forced the cancellation of flights.

“To defend the legitimate rights of the aviation industry and counter illegal restrictions imposed by America, Iran has drafted and submitted a formal protest to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),” said civil aviation chief Abouzar Shiroudi, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.

The ICAO is a UN agency based in Montreal, Canada that sets and regulates standards for civil aviation.

“In cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, we have also filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice at The Hague,” Shiroudi added.

Earlier this month, the US imposed restrictions on Iran’s aviation industry and warned international companies there would be consequences if they continued to work with Iranian airlines.

Most international flights still operating out of Tehran’s main airport

About 75 percent of all foreign destination flights are still departing from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

A review of the flight schedule on Sunday showed Iranian airlines had at least 24 inbound and outbound flights to 11 out of 19 foreign destinations, said Fars.

Iran’s flights to Turkey, China, Armenia, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Macau are still operating, it said.

Airports in Iraq, Georgia, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, and Oman have canceled flights by Iranian airlines.

Behind Trump’s rejection of Iran’s truce offer

According to experts, Trump’s rejection suggests that while both sides continue to publicly leave the door open for diplomacy, they remain far apart over who should make the first concessions.

“Trump’s calculation looks fairly straightforward,” Andreas Krieg, associate professor at King’s College London, said. “He believes the combination of the naval blockade and economic isolation is finally squeezing Iran hard enough that Tehran’s latest proposal is evidence of weakness rather than an offer Washington needs to seize.”

His public argument that Iran is “losing badly” is important because it suggests he thinks time is improving the US bargaining position, Krieg said.

Trump appears ‘stuck’ over concessions to Iran ahead of midterm elections

Richard Schmierer, a former US ambassador to Oman, says President Trump appears to be weighing the outcome of the midterm elections while trying to resolve the war on Iran.

“In some respects he certainly wants to delay things until after the November 3 elections, but on the other hand the war is very unpopular. Gas and diesel prices in the US are very high,” Schmierer said.

“So he has the difficult assignment of trying to sell a policy that the Americans do not support. So if the war were to end that would be to his advantage. The question would be on what terms, and as he makes significant concessions to bring it to an end, that would also be politically difficult.”

Trump appears to be “stuck”, said Schmierer.

“The problem is he has been criticized for the terms of the MoU [memorandum of understanding] back in June, and the terms that Iran offered are very similar to those in the MoU. So if he were, for example, to release frozen Iranian assets or to take the sanctions off of Iranian oil before the election, that could be politically vulnerable for him.

“So I think he’s trying to find the middle ground between telling the American people ‘this will all end soon’, but not actually bringing it to an end before the election.”

‘Profound miscalculation’ by US to ignore Iran deal for Hormuz

Trita Parsi, executive vice president and co-founder of the Quincy Institute, says Trump’s rejection of Iran’s latest peace offer shows the US president underestimates the leverage Tehran possess.

“Trump does not want to lift the blockade on Iran, which he believes will bring Iran to its knees. He underestimates Iran’s ability to counter-escalate and, as a result, prefers to squeeze the Iranians until they surrender rather than strike a deal with them,” Parsi said.

A major driver of the US strategy are concerns over the upcoming November congressional elections, he said.

“The White House does not believe that a deal with Iran will impact oil prices fast enough to impact the midterms in a positive way. Rather, they think it will only give Iran an opportunity to fill their coffers and prolong the period until they surrender. This is a profound miscalculation in my opinion,” said Parsi.

Iran’s Khamenei says ‘enemy forces’ would soon be driven out of Arabian Sea

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Iranian forces have driven enemy forces back from waters off southern Iran to the Arabian Sea, according to state-run media, adding that Iranian forces would soon push them out of the Arabian Sea as well.

“Having suffered painful blows from our valiant combatants and the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz, they [the enemy] dare not venture beyond the Arabian Sea,” Khamenei said in a message marking the Sacred Defence Week on Iran-Iraq War and the anniversary of the killing of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2024.

“Whenever they have risked doing so, they have only inflicted harm upon themselves; and the time is fast approaching when the Arabian Sea, too, will be cleared of their presence.”

Prepare for ‘worst case scenario’ from new US attacks, warns Iran police chief

Ahmad Reza Radan, head of Iran’s police force, has told officers to prepare for the “worst-case scenario” from renewed attacks by US forces, according to Iran’s state media.

“We must anticipate and be prepared to counter the worst-case scenario presented by the enemy, and we must restore the military and defence structures in accordance with the current conditions,” Radan told a meeting with the directors of the Faraja Political Ideological Organization on Monday.

Iran has accused the United States of committing war crimes during its attacks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi highlighting strikes on the country’s “vital infrastructure” including hospitals, schools, bridges, and energy facilities.

Iran FM Araghchi to meet mediators in New York City

Iran’s ISNA news agency reports Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with an Iranian delegation, will meet mediators involved in the negotiations with the US on Monday morning.

A Qatari delegation has been in the United States and presented an Iranian proposal to American officials last week to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for economic relief.

The mediating team and Iranian delegation will “discuss the latest proposals and views on the current situation”, ISNA reported.

There are no plans for direct negotiations with the United States, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said.

US military refutes Iran’s claim of ‘full control’ over Strait of Hormuz

US Central Command has fired back over comments made by a senior Iranian military commander who said the Revolutionary Guard “completely controls” the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said claims that “Iran has full control over the Strait of Hormuz … are false”.

“Iran has no navy because American forces sank it,” it said.

More than one billion of barrels of oil have passed through the strait over the last few months, CENTCOM said, adding this is evidence that Iran is not in control of the strategic maritime passageway.

Every time when the US CENTCOM post a claim regarding who controls the Strait of Hormuz it fails to publish evidence that supports the claim.

LNG traffic in Hormuz picks up despite US-Iran war

More QatarEnergy-linked liquefied natural ‌gas vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz in ⁠the last week ⁠despite the US-Iran conflict.

In August, Kpler data showed no visible transits by Qatar-linked LNG vessels or ships carrying cargo from the Ras Laffan gas terminal amid fears ⁠of attack by Iran, which has tried to throttle traffic through the strait.

Some may have got through undetected if they kept their transponders off, but this month visible transits ⁠of LNG tankers have begun to pick up.

The latest LNG vessel to reappear outside the strait is the GasLog Skagen, which showed up off Sri Lanka on Sunday with a cargo from Ras Laffan, LSEG and Kpler data showed.

The Strait of Hormuz carried one-fifth of global supplies of crude oil and LNG before ‌it ‌was blockaded in the war. Many vessels passing through make “dark transits” by turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to avoid detection.

Qatar mediators reportedly still working with Iran-US on possible deal

Qatari mediators continue efforts with Iran and the United States to secure a deal to end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz with the indirect talks expected later today, a news report says.

There was uncertainty over the weekend after President Trump rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to lift the US blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets, and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions, in return for getting shipping moving through Hormuz again.

According to a draft text being discussed, the strait would reopen in accordance with a separate deal that Iran has been discussing with Oman, on the other side of the waterway, and it would include no tolls – something Tehran has pursued, unnamed officials told The Associated Press.

Despite Trump’s public comments, the United States has not officially rejected the current proposal, indicating his remarks may have been a negotiating tactic, two officials said on condition of anonymity.

The third official said the US is seeking Iranian concessions on its nuclear program, including allowing inspectors to enter the country. Under the memorandum of understanding the two sides signed in June, Iran’s nuclear program was meant to be discussed over a 60-day period.

‘Constructive’ indirect talks continue with Iran, ‘nuclear issues’ remain key hurdle to deal, US official says

A US official has said that the negotiators continue to have “constructive” meditated talks with Iran but would not strike a deal “unless nuclear issues are addressed”.

According to the official, US President Donald Trump is willing to relieve sanctions and release Iran’s frozen funds in exchange for progress on nuclear issues.

The official added that the US is skeptical of Iran after “they broke the last MoU by firing on commercial vessels which stopped the last deal back in July”.

“Iran has indicated they are flexible on the nuclear issues, but the sides still remain apart on the timing of the commitments and who takes which steps first,” the official said.

The official also claimed that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz “continues to rise and the blockade and sanctions continue to degrade Iran’s position”.

US wants assurances that Iran is serious about fulfilling its obligations

Despite US President Donald Trump saying on Sunday that he wasn’t interested in what Iran had to say, the understanding is that discussions were continuing through intermediaries and that the Iranian diplomats did not leave the US after their engagements at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Instead, the Iranians were communicating with the US through mediators. We now have confirmation that the United States is also involved in these discussions but is not communicating with Iran with the help of the Qataris.

Despite this, the US remains sceptical of Iran’s promises because Washington says Iran broke the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July by firing at commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. And for any deal to move forward, the US says it needs assurances that Iran is serious this time around.

US is not in the position but Iran to demand assurance from Trump as past agreements have showed.

Trump says US officials spoke to Iran mediators today

Trump has just told reporters at the Oval Office that US officials have spoken to mediators today, without providing additional details.

As we reported earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also due to meet mediators in New York, according to Iranian state media.

At the White House, Trump repeated his assertion that the US will win the ⁠⁠war against Iran “very soon” and ⁠⁠that gas ⁠⁠prices will come ⁠⁠tumbling ⁠⁠down.

Negotiating with US ‘at this time’ weakens Iran’s leverage, Iranian lawmaker says

Ebrahim Rezaei, an Iranian lawmaker and national security and foreign policy committee member, says negotiations with the US will not begin until Washington fulfils its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), according to the Fars news agency.

“Even discussing negotiations at this time is illogical as it would lead to a decrease in oil prices, thereby reducing pressure on the US as well as encourage the Americans to continue their pressure and hostility towards the Iranian people,” Rezaei said.

“The United States must fulfill its commitments before any negotiations begin,” he said, adding that Iran will not initiate any negotiations until the US implements its commitments as demanded by Iran.

As we have reported based on statements from President Donald Trump, US officials met with Iran war mediators after Iranian media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would meet with mediators in New York.

‘HOAX’: Trump rejects ‘fake story’ on offering Iran sanctions relief

The US president has rejected a news story reporting that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds.

“This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING! Axios’ story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome,” he said on his Truth Social account.

“They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!” he added.

Trump offers Iran economic relief for concrete nuclear concessions

President Trump is willing to give Iran sanctions relief and release Iranian frozen funds in return for concrete Iranian steps regarding the nuclear program, U.S. officials say.

The apparent U.S. message to Iran comes as Qatari and Pakistani mediators try again this week to strike a deal between the two warring countries.

But Trump took to Truth Social Monday evening to say such reports were "untrue."

Araghchi says Iran expects US response by tomorrow ‘hopefully’, after talks with Qatari mediators

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran has held further indirect talks with the United States through Qatari mediators in New York, with Washington’s official response “hopefully” expected by tomorrow.

Araghchi told reporters that a primary focus of his visit at last week’s United Nations General Assembly had been outlining Iran’s position on regional conflicts and the critical security situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He reiterated that Tehran has put forward a fair, logical plan to resolve the crisis and reopen the vital shipping lane, provided specific conditions are met.

“Our mission was to communicate these conditions to the American side as well as to all other nations, ensuring the international community is aware that Iran has a plan in this regard,” Araghchi said.

The foreign minister said that Qatari intermediaries brought forward new ideas during their latest meeting to help bridge gaps and pave the way towards implementing Tehran’s proposals. These ideas are being taken back to Washington.

“Such communications and messages exchanged by Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries have always existed. But now, given the proposal Iran has put forward, the process has taken on a more serious nature,” he added.

Iranian lawmaker says Tehran ‘will not yield to threats or coercion’

Behnam Saeedi, an Iranian lawmaker and a member of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, says the US “must fulfill its commitments before any negotiations” can take place, according to the Fars news agency.

Saeedi said Iran’s past experience with the US, including Trump scrapping the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his first term, as well as Washington not adhering to commitments made under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the two countries, shows the futility of relying on US guarantees.

“Iran will not yield to threats or coercion,” he said.

Iran’s currency the rial hits historic low against US dollar

Iran’s currency has fallen to its lowest level ever against the US dollar as the country faces severe inflation and punishing sanctions.

According to pashizi.com, a website tracking Iran’s free foreign exchange market, the free market selling rate of the US dollar in Iran hit a record high of 2.3 million rials.

The sharp depreciation of Iran’s currency comes as Iran struggles after the US launched Operation Economic Outcast, a new set of sanctions aimed at financially isolating Tehran further in the international economy.

Iran’s annual inflation has rate hit 61.4 percent. Official data shows the country registered a 128.1 percent year-on-year increase in food prices.

US crypto currency ‘significant financial lifeline’ for Iran, Senate report says

A US Senate report says the crypto currency firm Tether’s stablecoin has become a “significant financial lifeline” for ⁠⁠⁠⁠Iran and its proxies.

Tether’s USDT stablecoin helped the Iranian government move ‌‌‌‌money across its borders and support its currency amid US sanctions, including through the Central Bank of Iran, according to the report led by Senate Democrats.

In an analysis of a “comprehensive set of crypto currency wallets”, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said it found 84 percent of them transacted in Tether’s stablecoin.

The Subcommittee said the report “exposes how Tether and its flagship token have become central to Iran’s shadow banking system” and called on the Treasury and Justice Departments to investigate the crypto currency firm.

Iran’s currency at ‘record lows’ due to sanctions: US Treasury secretary

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says renewed sanctions on Iran have caused the Iranian currency to hit “record lows”.

In a post on X, Bessent writes, “Operation Economic Outcast has caused the rial to hit record lows. We will continue to degrade the Iranian regime’s ability to fund terrorism and develop a nuclear weapon”.

Iran seizes two light vessels, arrests 50 people for violating regulations

Iran has seized two light vessels and arrested 50 people in the coastal waters of Qeshm Island and Minab “for violating Iranian regulations”, according to the state-run broadcaster IRIB.

The report provide any details about the vessels, the nationalities of the arrested people or the timing of the operation.

Iran, allies ready to respond ‘decisively and destructively’ to threats, army chief says

Major General Ali Abdullahi, the commander of the Iranian army’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, says the country’s forces and its allied groups are fully prepared to respond “decisively and destructively” to any threat, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

Speaking on the second anniversary of the Israeli killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Abdullahi said that Nasrallah’s example continues to lead Iran and its allies “steadfastly in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, and in all corners of the geography of resistance and the pursuit of justice”.

Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, was killed in an Israeli air attack in Beirut on September 28, 2024.

Iranian forces ready to stop enemy from ‘entering’ country, senior commander says

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the senior commander of Iran’s armed forces says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, adding that the waterway, its entrance towards the Indian Ocean and the Gulf, “is Iranian territory”, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

Sayyari was quoted as saying in a televised interview that Iran’s armed forces remain ready to prevent enemy forces from “entering” Iran, adding that Iranians will not allow anyone from outside the country to make decisions for them.

UAE’s president, Turkey's top diplomat discuss efforts to promote lasting peace across Middle East

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, has held a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Abu Dhabi.

According to the state-run WAM news agency, the discussions focused on developments in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to promote security, stability and lasting peace across the region.

Senior Emirati leadership, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, high-ranking national security officials and cabinet ministers also attended the meeting, WAM reported.

The two sides also discussed areas of bilateral cooperation and explored ways to strengthen ties between their countries, it added.

RAF airbase, Fairford, Britain

Behind the arrests over an alleged plot at UK’s RAF airbase

• Five ⁠men have been arrested in the UK on suspicion of preparing a “terrorist” act near RAF Fairford, a military airbase in western England.
• Police said they received a call in the early hours of Sunday about three suspicious vehicles apparently heading towards the base. Armed officers then arrested the suspects.
• A 400-metre (0.2-mile) cordon was set up while bomb disposal teams examined the vans, and about 85 nearby households were evacuated as a precaution.
• Police say the investigation is at an “early stage” and have not said who they believe was involved.
• US President Donald Trump said the suspects wanted to do “big damage” and were being investigated by UK and US authorities. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the incident “deeply concerning” for locals.
• Fairford has long been used by US and NATO forces. Since March, the US has used it to launch attacks on Iran, and the UK has authorised US bombers based there to strike Iranian missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
• In July, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any base used for such attacks would be a legitimate target, and the UK said its forces were ready to protect the country.

UK minister says ‘unwise’ to speculate on Iran involvement in airbase arrests

Defense Secretary Wes Streeting says it would be “very unwise” for him to speculate about the motive of the five people arrested near a UK airbase used by the US military to bomb Iran.

Streeting made the remarks when asked if Iran may be involved in the incident.

Counter-terrorism officers are leading efforts to establish what occurred at RAF Fairford after five men were detained on suspicion of preparing a “terrorist” act. The suspects have not been charged.

RAF Fairford, about 160km (100 miles) west of London, is one of several bases in Britain used by the US Air Force under an agreement dating from the 1950s.

Fairford’s long runway makes it suitable for heavy bombers, and it has been used in conflicts including the Gulf War, the 2003 war on Iraq, and the US-Israeli war on Iran this year.

More questions than answers after UK airbase arrests

It remains unclear whether the arrests are linked to the US war on Iran. British security officials say proxies linked to Iran are behind a string of arson and sabotage attempts in the UK and other countries, many targeting the Jewish community.

“We still don’t know, of course, who was behind this, but Iran has in the past threatened that they will specifically target this base because the bombers were used in the campaign against Iran,” said Rob Geist Pinfold from King’s College London.

Britain did not join the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28 and initially denied President Trump’s request to use bases in the UK to strike Iran. But then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced days later he agreed to let the US use bases in Britain for “defensive” operations against Iran’s missile sites.

“Even though this attack was thwarted, there are questions about who these individuals are, questions about the degree of motivation, and the degree of skill. But also hard questions that need to be directed towards law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies about how much they actually knew about this threat,” Geist Pinfold said.

"Britain did not join the US-Israeli war on Iran.."

Former prime minister Keir Starmer had allowed the US to attack Iran from the British RAF airbase Fairford. Britain contributed to aggression and violence in the act of Trump's war on Iran this way. That has made the British government a co-belligerent of the US that is one of the two attacking belligerents.

‘Terror’ incident near UK base used for war on Iran?

Five men were arrested after calls from residents to emergency services about “suspicious vehicles which appeared to be travelling towards the airbase”, London’s Metropolitan Police say.

The counterterrorism police are leading an investigation into the incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The US military used the airbase during its attack on Iran, deploying long-range bombers.

Calling the incident “deeply concerning”, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his government would take “every step necessary” to protect the public.

Iran ‘categorically rejects’ involvement in UK airbase suspected plot

The Iranian embassy in the UK has issued a statement in which it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation that Iran was involved in a suspected plot targeting a UK military airbase used by the US.

In an social media post, the embassy criticised “the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran” to the incident at the RAF Fairford base yesterday.

It also threatened legal action “to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives.”

Five men, all UK nationals in their mid-20s, have been arrested, according to UK counter-terrorism police.

".. all UK nationals .."

It doesn't mention whether they descent from other countries. The description suggest that the arrested men are native to Britain, which fuels speculations of a Russian rooted activity.

Investigation near RAF Fairford ongoing

UK counter-terror police have released a statement, giving more details about the five men who were arrested in connection to the suspected plot near the RAF Fairford airbase.

They’re in their 20s and that they are all based in London. That said, counter-terror police are still urging people not to speculate, saying that there has been a lot of attention to this case given its proximity to RAF Fairford and the fact that there is a geopolitical background to it all.

The investigation is ongoing. There are multiple new leads that they are pursuing, but the exact detail of what they have found has not been disclosed.

The fact that the cordon remains in place at the site does also show that they are not satisfied that they’ve exhausted every single line of inquiry in that surface area.

Five men arrested over RAF Fairford airbase incident released on bail

The head of the UK’s Counter Terrorism ⁠⁠Policing has said the five men arrested in connection to the RAF Fairford suspected plot have been released on bail.

“Following extensive interviews and inquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon,” Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor told reporters.

“To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over. They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others,” he said.

Trump ‘surprised’ UK freed airbase suspects on bail

US President Donald Trump says British police should not have released on bail five men who were arrested near an airbase used by the United States over a suspected bomb plot. Trump added that the case “might be” linked to Iran, but declined to give details.

“I’m surprised that they released them; I wouldn’t have done that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, while adding that British authorities had worked “very closely” with the US. “We know everything about them. We would not have released them.”

The five men were arrested yesterday near the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base in southwest England, from which US bombers have taken off to target Iran since March.

British counterterrorism police announced today that the five men – all London-based Britons in their mid-20s – had been freed on bail, and that officers were probing whether a “foreign state” could be involved.

Iran has denied involvement in any plot to target the base.

Iran’s involvement in UK’s Fairford airbase incident ‘speculation’ despite capability, motivation: Former US diplomat

Adam Ereli, a former deputy spokesman for the US State Department and a former Ambassador to Bahrain, says Iran is capable of a major incident like the one at the UK’s Fairford airbase as Tehran has made threats before against any site used by the US military.

“Iran has the capability of doing this … they have, clearly, the motivation. They’ve been attacking US and allied military facilities in the region for some time and have been expanding the scope of those attacks in terms of geography and strategic relevance for some time,” he said.

“So it doesn’t require a huge stretch of the imagination to write a scenario where Iran is a big player in this [the Fairford incident].”

However, Ereli said commentary on the incident at this stage was “speculation”.

Tehran denies any link to the incident.

US suspects ‘foreign actor’ in UK airbase alleged bomb plot

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a suspected bomb plot near a UK airbase used by the US was “a very serious situation” involving a “foreign actor”.

Speaking to Fox News, Rubio suggested that additional information about suspected foreign involvement could come out in the coming days.

“There’s some things I cannot say on the air for a lot of different reasons,” he said.

Rubio said he acknowledged that some people were “disturbed” by the news that the five male suspects, arrested near the RAF Fairford airbase on Sunday, had been released on bail.

He said Washington was engaging with UK investigators.

He thanked UK authorities for their cooperation and help in breaking up the alleged plot.

Citing Iran’s threats against US interests as an example, Rubio said there would be repercussions for an attack or attempted attack.

“What happened this weekend could have been – and was, I think – a very serious threat,” he said.