A group of 29 countries, including Spain, has denounced this Monday the "resort of Iran to violent attacks and other hybrid activities" directed against their interests, focusing on the accusations made by the United Kingdom against the Iranian authorities following the incident recorded at the Fairford military base at the end of September.
In a joint statement, the signing states —including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, France, and Germany— "condemn in the strongest terms Iran's resort to violent attacks, including acts of conspiracy for lethal purposes, arson, sabotage, cyberattacks, and other hybrid activities" against their countries.
Although the 29 governments have not directly pointed to Tehran as responsible for the Fairford incident, they do "acknowledge" the accusations raised by the British authorities, who consider that the episode "demonstrates the continued willingness of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to carry out hostile activities beyond its borders through clandestine networks and intermediary actors."
That same Monday, Andy Burnham's Executive made public sanctions against two high-ranking Iranian officials and summoned the Iranian ambassador to the country in response to what it has described as a "terrorist plot."
"This comes shortly after the recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and American interests, claimed by Harakat Ashab al Yamin al Islamiya (HAYI)," the signatories have recalled, referring to the armed group known in Spanish as Movimiento Islámico de los Compañeros de los Bien Guiados, which last April claimed responsibility for an attack on a synagogue in north London.
"Any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce individuals in our territories through intermediaries or by any other means is unacceptable. Anyone who carries out hostile activities on behalf of Iran, or any other state, must know that we will take measures to identify, investigate, dismantle, and prosecute these acts," the signing countries have emphasized, who at the end of the statement reiterate their unity and commitment to "the safeguarding" of their sovereignty and the protection of their communities.