MI5 chief Ken McCallum said in London on October 13 that Iran was seeking to attack British military sites, expanding its campaign beyond dissidents and other established targets. Reuters and AP reported the warning as Tehran rejected involvement in a suspected plot at RAF Fairford. McCallum described a significant change in Iranian ambitions this year.
The warning followed September's security incident at Fairford, a base used by US bombers to strike Iran. According to AP, police found gasoline in three vans but no explosives. Seven men were arrested and released on bail. The investigation remains open; McCallum limited his comments to avoid prejudicing potential prosecutions.
In his published annual threat assessment, McCallum said operations linked to Iran had led to more than 50 arrests in Britain over the past twelve months. He described criminal intermediaries targeting opponents, Iranian media and Israeli sites. He also said much of the aggression had targeted British Jewish communities.
Iran summoned British Ambassador Hugo Shorter on Tuesday and demanded evidence linking it to the alleged Fairford plot, AP reported, citing Iranian state broadcasting. Tehran warned that it could reconsider bilateral relations. Reuters also reported Iran's rejection of allegations of hostile activity in Britain.
McCallum said the criminals Iran used in Britain had limited capabilities, Reuters reported, while the Revolutionary Guard had greater experience with sophisticated operations closer to Iran. His assessment distinguished the ambition to strike harder targets from the capabilities observed in Britain. He said Fairford was not the only example internationally.
The speech also described a fourfold rise in MI5's state-threat caseload over a decade. McCallum urged energy and defence organisations to follow official guidance against sabotage, drones and cyberattacks. With investigations continuing, he said MI5 had elevated protective security to a core mission, aiming to keep the country functioning when incidents occur.
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