US Charges Three Iran-Backed Operatives Over Plot at UK Air Base
Armed police officers stand guard next to a police vehicle near RAF Fairford.
The US Department of Justice has unsealed an indictment charging three operatives with orchestrating a terrorist plot near RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, alongside numerous other attacks across Europe and the US. The accused allegedly directed associates via coded messages and video calls to prepare vans filled with fuel and shrapnel to target the military base. Iran has strongly denied any involvement in the incident.
- WhenSeptember 2026 (incident near RAF Fairford) and indictment unsealed in November 2026
- WhereRAF Fairford in the UK, plus locations in Europe and the US
- Who was involvedMohsen Mohajeri, Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, and Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi
- CasualtiesNot yet reported
- StatusAl-Saadi is in federal custody in New York; Mohajeri and al-Hassani are not in custody
Photos
6 photosWhat happened
The US Department of Justice announced charges against three operatives linked to Iran who were allegedly involved in a string of plots in the United States and Europe. According to the indictment, the men were connected to 18 attacks and attempted attacks in cities including London, Amsterdam, and Paris.
Among the accusations, the DOJ stated that the operatives orchestrated a terrorist plot at RAF Fairford in the UK, where US armed forces are stationed. The security alert occurred in September when suspicious vans were reported near the base, prompting a major incident declaration.
A US military aircraft stationed at an air base.
How it unfolded
Federal prosecutors alleged that planning for the RAF Fairford plot began in August, with associates in the UK paid to conduct surveillance and arrange logistics. The conspirators allegedly procured vans and barrels of fuel, researched chemical accelerants, and purchased metallic objects to act as shrapnel.
To avoid detection, the vans were given custom decals to make them look like fuel delivery or swimming pool supply businesses. On 26 September, three vans filled with fuel were driven toward the base, but at least two encountered security checkpoints and were blocked from proceeding before being spotted by a local farmer.
Police officers positioned near a secure roadblock.
The people involved
The three men named in the unsealed indictment are Iranian national Mohsen Mohajeri, Iraqi national Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, and dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi. They reportedly acted in the name of the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) in support of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kataib Hezbollah.
Al-Saadi was arrested in August and is awaiting trial while in federal custody in New York, where he allegedly coordinated with his co-conspirators using third parties and family members to pass coded messages. Mohajeri and al-Hassani were allegedly in Iran at the time and remain at large.
Response and aftermath
Following the incident, seven men were arrested in the UK in connection with the RAF Fairford plot. The US subsequently withdrew all its bombers from the air base, with President Donald Trump citing unspecified threats.
The Iranian embassy in London strongly condemned and categorically rejected the allegations, labeling them as unfounded and malicious speculations. Meanwhile, US officials vowed to aggressively prosecute anyone targeting military bases housing American servicemembers.
What we still don't know
Exact details regarding the current whereabouts of Mohajeri and al-Hassani outside of US custody have not been officially confirmed by authorities. It remains unclear whether upcoming court dates for al-Saadi relate strictly to the new charges or his previous pending matters.