MI5 chief says Iran shifting to target UK military sites

AI-generated briefing · First published 2026-10-13 18:40:35 UTC

Ken McCallum warned of a major shift in Iranian tactics after the UK blamed Tehran for a suspected plot at RAF Fairford.

MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum said Iran is now seeking harder targets such as military sites, a shift he described as a major change this year. The warning follows UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s statement that the suspected plot at RAF Fairford on 27 September was almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. [1] [2] [4] [5]

British authorities arrested five British men in their 20s near the base on suspicion of explosives offences; all were released on bail. The UK sanctioned two Iranian nationals, Ruhollah Bazghandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki, for alleged hostile activity. [3] [4] [5]

Sources

1. Iran has made ‘major shift’ to target UK military sites, says MI5 chief

   Financial Times · 2026-10-13 12:00:39 UTC · Summary only

2. MI5 Chief Warns of Growing Iranian and Russian Threats to U.K.

   NY Times · 2026-10-13 12:02:17 UTC · Summary only

3. Iran sees ‘false flag’ operations after UK blames IRGC for airbase incident

   Al Jazeera · 2026-10-13 13:03:56 UTC · Excerpt

4. UK spy chief says Iran is stepping up targeting of military bases

   Al Jazeera · 2026-10-13 16:06:56 UTC · Full text

5. Iran seeking 'harder targets' for attacks abroad, UK warns

   DW English · 2026-10-13 17:23:00 UTC · Full text

Link to this briefing · Back to AI News