Australia has joined almost 30 allies including the US States and France in recognising claims by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham that it is “highly likely” Iran is behind an alleged foiled attack on an RAF air base.
RAF Fairford was housing about a dozen US B-1B Lancer long-range bombers used in so-called defensive strikes on Iran when seven men were arrested over an alleged plot concerning the Gloucestershire airbase on September 27.
Mr Burnham told UK parliament on Monday the government’s assessment was “that it is highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC)”.
ASIO last year linked the IRGC to attacks on Australia’s Jewish community in Melbourne and Sydney.
In a joint statement, Australia, the US, Canada, and European allies condemned “on the strongest terms” Iran’s use of “violent attacks”, including sabotage, cyber attacks, and “acts of lethal plotting”.
“The UK has also concluded this event demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors,” the statement said.
“Any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce people on our territories through proxies or any other means is unacceptable.
“Iran should be in no doubt that we are united and remain committed to safeguarding our sovereignty and strengthening our international co-ordination, bolstering our national resilience, protecting our communities, and ensuring that those responsible are held to account.”
The IRGC is one of Iran’s foremost political and military institutions and is largely responsible for directing overseas activities and support for proxy groups.
One of those groups, the Yemen-based Houthi movement, has launched a series of deadly strikes in recent days on neighbouring Saudi Arabia, further flaming fuel prices and raising the risk of widening the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran.
Tehran and Washington have been unable to agree to a lasting peace deal, with the Islamic Republic keeping the Strait of Hormuz largely closed.