Iran: Greece among 29 countries condemning Tehran’s attacks; London links Iran to the RAF Fairford plot

Greece is among 29 countries whose foreign ministers signed a joint statement on Monday, October 12, condemning “in the strongest terms” Iran’s use of violent attacks. According to the text published by the British Foreign Office, the condemnation covers “assassination plots, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks and other hybrid activities” against the signatories and their partners.

The statement acknowledges that the United Kingdom holds Iran responsible for involvement in the incident of September 27 near RAF Fairford, from where American strategic bombers operate. In London’s view, the incident shows that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continues to carry hostile action beyond Iran’s borders “through covert networks and proxy actors”. The text links the case to the recent campaign of attacks in Europe against Jewish communities, Iranian journalists and American interests, for which a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility.

“Any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm or coerce people on our territory through proxies or by any other means is unacceptable,” the ministers say, warning that anyone acting on behalf of Iran “or any other state” will be identified and prosecuted.

The signatories

The joint statement is signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Cyprus, Italy and Poland are among the countries not on the list.

Ambassador summoned, new sanctions

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that the Iranian ambassador was summoned to the ministry, where he was received by Middle East minister Stephen Doughty. “Britain will not tolerate threats on its soil,” he said.

Sanctions (asset freezes, travel bans and disqualification from company directorships) were imposed on two Iranians: Rouhollah Bazghandi, head of IRGC counter-intelligence operations, and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jaki, described as a facilitator of the Zindashti criminal network, which is involved in plots against Iranian dissidents. London recalls that it identified at least 15 credible Iran-backed threats to kill or kidnap people in Britain in 2022-2023, and that the number exceeded 20 in 2025. It has already sanctioned the IRGC as a whole and more than 550 individuals and entities.

What happened at Fairford

According to Counter Terrorism Policing, five men were arrested on the morning of September 27 in Welford, after reports of three vehicles heading towards the base at 00:45, on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act and preparing an act of terrorism. On October 1 a 25-year-old with dual British and Iranian nationality was arrested, and on October 6 a 22-year-old. All seven people arrested, all in their twenties, have been released under conditions.

Earlier, the US president had linked the withdrawal of the bombers from Fairford to threats, while in Britain a separate espionage case involving a Royal Navy member is pending.