An Iranian man and a Romanian woman have been charged after allegedly attempting to gain access to one of the United Kingdom’s most sensitive military bases.
According to Police Scotland, at about 5 pm on Thursday, the agency was aware of the two individuals trying to enter HM Naval Base Clyde. A report by The Telegraph revealed the pair were turned away from the facility because they lacked the correct passes and were then arrested shortly after for “acting suspiciously in the vicinity.”
“A 34-year-old Iranian man and a 31-year-old Romanian woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident. They are due to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday, March 23,” the agency said. “Enquiries are ongoing.”
The base, also known as Faslane, is considered Britain’s primary nuclear submarine facility. Located in Scotland, it is home to four Trident-armed ballistic missile submarines and seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, capable of carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles that can hit a target over 1,000 miles away. The Royal Navy says the base houses “the core of the Submarine Service, including the nation’s nuclear deterrent, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines.”
The Ministry of Defense is also investigating the incident.
The case comes amid heightened concerns about Iranian-linked activity in the UK. Earlier this week, two Iranian men were charged with spying for Iran, allegedly conducting surveillance on Jewish individuals at the Israeli embassy and Britain’s oldest synagogue last summer. MI5 and police have also accused Iran of carrying out multiple assassinations and kidnapping plots against dissidents in Britain over the last year.
