US Charges Three Over Iran Plots
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment linking three men to failed attacks in Europe and the September disruption at a British airbase.
By Anthony Foster ·
The US Department of Justice unsealed an eight-count indictment on Tuesday against three men accused of orchestrating a series of failed attacks in the United States and Europe. Prosecutors linked the scheme to a security incident at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, in September. Iran has denied any role in that event.
The accused are Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national; Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national; and Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen. Federal officials allege the group operated under the name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya. The group claimed responsibility for 18 attacks across Europe in spring 2026. Seven of those incidents occurred in Britain, including arson and a stabbing in London's Golders Green area that left two Jewish men injured.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated the indictment covers nearly 20 attempted attacks. He said the operations supported Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the militia Kataib Hezbollah. Patel noted that al-Saadi used coded messages from a New York prison to coordinate the plots while awaiting trial on prior charges.
Prosecutors detailed preparations for the Fairford plot beginning in August. Al-Hassani allegedly directed associates in Britain to survey the base perimeter on 22 August. In September, he paid individuals to acquire vans, fuel barrels, and chemical accelerants such as potassium chloride. The vehicles were disguised as fuel and pool supply trucks. On 26 September, al-Hassani instructed drivers to move three vans toward the base. Some vans contained fuel barrels, and al-Hassani tracked their movements. Two vans hit a security roadblock and turned back.
A local farmer reported the vehicles to police in the early hours of 27 September. Authorities declared a major incident near the Cotswolds airbase. Police seized petrol from the vehicles but found no explosives. Seven men were arrested in Britain, and two British nationals appeared in court in October.
The US embassy in London said Iran's rejection of the claims is unfounded. Following the incident, the US removed all bombers from Fairford. President Donald Trump cited the threats as the reason for the withdrawal. The US Air Force has used the base for decades, and B-1 and B-52 bombers departed from there for strikes on Iran in recent months. Iran stated in July that any base used to attack its territory is a legitimate military target.
