U.K. charges two men arrested over alleged Iran-linked terror plot against air base used by U.S.

Two men in Britain have been charged in connection with an incident last month near RAF Fairford, an air base in England that the U.S. has used to launch strikes on Iran, according to the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service.

Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, both British nationals who are residents of London, were charged under the 2023 National Security Act, CBS News reported. 

The incident occurred last month outside the base. Police arrested five men who had been traveling nearby in white vans. They were later released on bail, but authorities confirmed they were still under investigation.

The British government believes Iran "played a part" in the incident. United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC there are "strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford, but of course it remains an ongoing, complex and serious police investigation." 

Tehran has denied any involvement in the incident at the base. 

Abdulkarim was charged with "assisting a foreign intelligence service" in September and "engaging in conduct that was likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service in carrying out U.K.-related activities." The CPS said Essghir was charged with a national security offense.