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Iranian man arrested trying to enter Faslane nuclear base

Iona YoungBBC Scotland
News imagePA Media HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, is the home of Britain's nuclear deterrentPA Media
HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, is the home of Britain's nuclear deterrent

An Iranian man has been arrested with a woman after trying to enter the Faslane naval base, home to the UK's nuclear-armed submarines.

Police Scotland said a 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman were arrested at HM Naval Base Clyde at about 17:00 on Thursday.

The woman's nationality is unknown.

The Royal Navy said the suspects "unsuccessfully attempted" to enter the base, near Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute.

A spokesperson added: "As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further."

It is understood that the pair did not try to force their way into the base.

They asked if they could enter but were refused permission and were arrested shortly afterwards. Police Scotland said its inquiries were ongoing.

Faslane is the home of all the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines, including the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines which carry Trident nuclear missiles.

News imagePA Media A partially submerged missile-armed Vanguard-class submarinesPA Media
Faslane's Vanguard submarines are the sole platforms for the UK's nuclear weapons

The arrests come after the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on 28 February.

Iran has responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf.

Defence secretary John Healey said the UK was reviewing its terror threat level. It remains at "substantial" meaning an attack is "likely".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, said the UK had "stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level."

It was not clear whether he was referring only to bases in the Middle East and the Mediterranean or to all bases at home and abroad.

News imageAn infographic titled “Trident submarine” featuring a large photo of a surfaced Trident-class submarine moving through the water with crew members standing on the hull. Below the photo is a world map with a shaded blue arc representing the 4,000‑nautical‑mile missile range. A label points to the submarine’s location on the map. A section explains that the UK has four Trident submarines, illustrated with red submarine icons showing that one is armed and at sea, one is undergoing maintenance, and two are in port or on training manoeuvres. A size comparison at the bottom contrasts a red silhouette of a Vanguard‑class submarine (150m long, with 132 crew, 16 missiles, and 48 warheads) with the grey silhouette of an Airbus A380 (73m long). A BBC credit line cites the Royal Navy and the Strategic Defence Review as sources.

The Faslane base, which sits on the Gare Loch, has long been the focus of anti-war protests from groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

A peace camp has been based just outside the site since 1982.

Faslane's four Vanguard submarines are the sole platforms for the UK's nuclear weapons and are due to be replaced by the new Dreadnought-class submarines after 2030.

It is also the home of Astute-class nuclear powered but conventionally armed attack submarines.

The UK's stock of nuclear warheads is based nearby at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) Coulport on nearby Loch Long.

The UK has operated continuous at-sea deterrence since 1969, with first Polaris and then Trident missiles stored on and launched from nuclear-powered submarines with the capacity to remain submerged at sea for months.