Canada joins other nations denouncing Iran’s air base attack plot in the UK

Canada has joined more than two dozen other countries in denouncing Iran’s apparent involvement in a planned attack on an air base in England.

The countries said in a joint statement Monday they “condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s use of violent attacks, including the acts of lethal plotting, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks, and other hybrid activities against us and our partners.”

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Monday that a suspected terror plot at a U.S.-run military air base last month was “almost certainly” directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“We recognise the United Kingdom’s attribution of Iran’s involvement in the incident at RAF Fairford on 27 September,” the statement says.

“The UK has also confirmed this event demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors.”

The statement also notes a “recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists and U.S. interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya,” a pro-Iran group.

The signatories include the United States, France, Germany and Australia, among others. They say any attempt by Iran to threaten individuals on their territory through proxies is unacceptable.

“Anyone who conducts hostile activities on behalf of Iran, or any other state, should know that we will take action to identify, investigate, disrupt and prosecute these acts,” the statement says.

Police have arrested seven men in the investigation into the alleged plot at RAF Fairford, but all suspects have been released on bail and no one has been charged so far.

The RAF Fairford air base has been used by American bombers to strike Iran in the ongoing war.

Iran has denied involvement, although it has previously said that it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target.