Iranian Detained While Attempting to Infiltrate British Nuclear Submarine Base

A man, reportedly an Iranian citizen, and a woman of unknown nationality were detained after they attempted to enter the nuclear submarine base.

This was reported by The Guardian.

The two individuals were detained after attempting to enter the HMNB Clyde nuclear submarine base in Faslane, Scotland.

The couple was detained by police after they requested permission to enter one of the UK’s most sensitive military facilities in the afternoon of March 19.

The base houses, among other things, Vanguard-class nuclear submarines equipped with Trident ballistic missiles and Astute-class nuclear submarines, and is closed to visitors. It is believed this may have been an attempt at espionage.

The couple was denied access to the base, and their request to enter immediately aroused suspicion. They were detained after lingering near the facility and behaving suspiciously.

Their motives are currently unknown, and the publication’s security sources note that it is too early to speak of an espionage attempt, although concerns are growing in the country regarding potential threats linked to Iran. The UK Ministry of Defense stated that the incident is not yet considered particularly serious.

“Police in Scotland detained two individuals who unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to HM Naval Base Clyde on Thursday, March 19. As the investigation is ongoing, we will not be making any further comments,” a Royal Navy spokesperson stated.

Separately, on Thursday, Nematoolah Shahsavani, 40, a citizen of Iran and the UK, and Alireza Farasati, 22, a citizen of Iran, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court. They are accused of conducting hostile surveillance of sites and individuals associated with the Jewish community in the London area.

As a reminder, on March 1, 2026, Iran for the first time launched two missiles toward British military bases in Cyprus. Just the next day, an Iranian Shahed-136 drone struck the British Akrotiri Air Base in Cyprus. The explosion caused minor damage to the airfield; no personnel at the base were injured.

The British Air Force is engaged in defense missions in the airspace of the Middle East and is not participating in U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.

In particular, the UK has deployed four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar as part of the joint British-Qatari 12th Squadron under the defense guarantees between the countries and plans to deploy four more.