Iran is attempting to attack military installations in the United Kingdom, and a suspected plot against a U.S.-run military air base in September was not an isolated incident, according to Ken McCallum, head of Britain's MI5 domestic security service.
McCallum said Tuesday that Tehran is seeking to intensify its attacks in Britain beyond traditional targets, which have historically focused on Iranian nationals opposed to the country's Islamic authorities. The agency has previously documented incendiary and sabotage attacks against Jewish sites that British authorities attribute to Iranian intermediaries.
"A major change this year has been Iran's ambition to go after harder targets, such as military installations," McCallum stated. He referenced the incident at RAF Fairford, a U.S.-managed military air base, noting that "the RAF Fairford incident is not unique. There have been other examples, not just in the U.K., but around the world."
Police intervened in connection with a suspected plot at RAF Fairford on September 27. McCallum's remarks indicate that British security officials view the targeting of military facilities as part of a broader pattern of Iranian activity rather than a one-off attempt.
The MI5 chief's public statement underscores official concern about the scope and nature of Iranian operations against British interests. His comments suggest that security services are monitoring multiple potential threats across military and other sensitive sites in the country.