New Zealand has joined 30 countries in signing a joint statement condemning Iran for what they say are violent attacks, cyber-attacks, and hybrid operations. The collective diplomatic rebuke follows a security incident in the United Kingdom involving a suspected terror plot directed at a military air base.
The RAF Fairford Security Breach and British Attribution
The diplomatic escalation stems from an incident when British authorities launched a security operation near the RAF Fairford air base in Gloucestershire, southwest England. Five British men were arrested in the early hours of September 27 after a local farmer reported suspicious activity involving three white vans near the perimeter. Police later recovered a quantity of an accelerant—gasoline—from the vehicles, though no explosives were found.
The facility has been used by United States bombers to carry out strikes on Iran. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham formally addressed Parliament to announce the government’s assessment regarding the breach. Burnham stated that the plot was highly likely coordinated in Iran and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Following the assessment, the UK government summoned Iranian Ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi, while Tehran’s state news agency IRNA reported that the ambassador categorically rejected the allegations and urged London to provide supporting evidence.
In response to the security threat, the United States redeployed its bombers from RAF Fairford back to their home bases. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood noted that the incident “speaks to a wider trend” and stated that states like Iran are using proxies to conduct hostile activity in Britain.”
Transnational Condemnation and Expanded Sanctions
Foreign ministers from 30 countries—including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany—released a joint diplomatic statement condemning Tehran’s use of lethal plotting, arson, sabotage, and cyber-attacks. The coalition emphasized that any attempt by Iran or its proxy actors to intimidate, threaten, harass, or harm individuals within their territories is unacceptable.
At the same time, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband revealed that two Iranian nationals were being designated for taking part in or assisting hostile operations on behalf of the Iranian government. The Foreign Office added the two individuals to its sanctions list, subjecting them to travel bans and asset freezes.
| Action / Measure | Details & Entities Involved |
|---|---|
| Joint Diplomatic Statement | Issued by 30 countries including New Zealand, the UK, and the US condemning Iranian hybrid and violent attacks. |
| RAF Fairford Investigation | Seven men in their 20s arrested and subsequently released on police bail following the September 27 security alert in Gloucestershire. |
| Targeted Sanctions | Two Iranian nationals hit with UK asset freezes and travel bans. |
| Military Asset Redeployment | US Air Force withdraws bombers from RAF Fairford back to their home bases. |
The Wider Campaign of Hostile State Activity
According to British officials, national security investigations involving actions by hostile countries such as Iran rose by 50% during the half-year leading up to December 2025. The collaborative declaration noted that this followed an antecedent wave of assaults across Europe directed at Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and American assets, which a pro-Iranian faction claimed responsibility for.
Legal proceedings are already underway for related domestic threats. A pair of Iranian citizens face terrorism charges, having been accused of plotting an attack against Manchester’s Jewish community utilizing a self-made chlorine powder device. Prosecutors informed a magistrates court that the two individuals communicated with a presumed third party located in Iran who provided instructions and commanded their actions.
