Iran summons UK ambassador over British claims linking Tehran to suspected RAF Fairford plot

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it summoned British Ambassador Hugo Shorter over allegations by senior UK officials linking Tehran to a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford in England.

Alireza Yousefi, the ministry's director general for Western Europe, conveyed Iran's protest and rejected the British allegations, according to the ministry.

Iran demanded that Britain provide evidence supporting its accusations and warned that Tehran could seriously reconsider bilateral relations if London failed to do so.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Monday that the suspected plot was "highly likely" to have been coordinated in Iran and was "almost certainly" directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran denies involvement.

Britain and 28 other countries, including the United States, issued a joint statement on October 12 backing the UK's attribution of Iranian involvement in the September 27 RAF Fairford incident.