British man accused of spying on Cyprus RAF base for Iran
A British man has been arrested in Cyprus on charges of spying on the RAF Akrotiri military base for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. This marks the first time the UK's 2023 National Security Act has been applied to an alleged offense in an overseas territory.
Why it matters
The case highlights the expansion of UK national security powers to protect military assets abroad and underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions with Iran.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Rashad Sultanov has been accused of carrying out spying on RAF Akrotiri
A British man has been arrested on suspicion of spying on a UK military base in Cyprus on behalf of the Iranian military.
Rashad Sultanov, 44, of Islington, north London, is accused of carrying out "hostile surveillance" on RAF Akrotiri and sharing information with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Sultanov, who also holds Azerbaijani citizenship, was arrested by Cypriot police on 17 July and is in custody pending extradition proceedings.
The Crown Prosecution Service has said he will be charged under the National Security Act - the first time an alleged offence under the 2023 law has been investigated in an overseas territory.
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