British Citizen Arrested in Cyprus on Suspicion of Spying for Iran

A dual citizen of Great Britain and Azerbaijan has been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on a British airbase and relaying information to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, London police announced. The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Rashad Sultanov from Islington in North London, was apprehended on July 17th and is currently in custody pending extradition proceedings.

Sultanov's arrest is part of the first overseas investigation conducted under the UK's National Security Act. The investigation, led by the counter-terrorism police, concerns incidents at the Akrotiri Royal Air Force base in Cyprus between May 11th and June 22nd of the previous year. Authorities allege that Sultanov surveyed the base and subsequently transmitted information about it to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Commander Helen Flanagan of London's counter-terrorism policing service stated, "This case demonstrates that we can apply the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile state activities." The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has previously threatened to attack any British military bases that the United States might use to target Iran.

In March, an Iranian-made Shahed drone caused minor damage when it struck facilities at Akrotiri. This base, along with one other, is one of the two territories the United Kingdom retained in Cyprus after the island nation gained independence in 1960.

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This case demonstrates that we can apply the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile state activities.