Iranian and Romanian charged after trying to enter U.K.’s nuclear submarine base

One of the Vanguard Class Ship nuclear submarines in the dock at HM Naval Base Clyde, the home of the UK Submarine Service at Faslane in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, July 5, 2019. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

LONDON — An Iranian man and a Romanian woman have been charged after trying to enter the naval base in Scotland that is home to Britain’s nuclear-armed submarines, police said Saturday,

Police Scotland said the 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman will appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday.

As is customary in Scotland, police did not release the suspects’ names or the charges they face before their court hearing.

The pair were detained on Thursday after attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) northwest of Glasgow.

The base, also known as Faslane, is home to the core of the U.K.’s submarine fleet, including the vessels that carry nuclear weapons.

Britain has been a nuclear power since the 1950s. Since the 1990s, its nuclear deterrent has consisted of four Royal Navy submarines armed with Trident missiles.

The Associated Press