Rubio suspects “foreign actor” behind plot near British base used by the U.S., cites Iranian threats

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington suspects the involvement of a “foreign actor” in the suspected bomb plot near the British air base RAF Fairford, which is also used by American forces, and warned there will be consequences for an attack or attempted attack on American interests.

As Al Jazeera reports, in an interview with Fox News, Rubio described the case as “a very serious situation,” admitting that the release on bail of five suspects arrested near the base on Sunday had “troubled” some people. He said Washington is working closely with British investigators and thanked the London authorities for their help in disrupting the suspected plot.

Rubio added that there are “things I cannot say on air,” hinting that new details about the suspected involvement of a foreign state could emerge in the coming days. Citing as an example Iran’s threats against American interests, he warned: “What happened this weekend could have been — and I believe was — a very serious threat.”

Tehran, for its part, has categorically denied any link to the plot. Britain’s national head of counter-terrorism policing has said the investigation will examine whether a foreign state may be behind the incident, but British police have not publicly accused any state.

The incident comes at a moment of high tension between Washington and Tehran, as diplomatic efforts to end the seven-month conflict continue through mediators — and against the backdrop of the ongoing debate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.