Rashad Sultanov, a 44-year-old British-Azerbaijani national from Islington, north London, was arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on a British military base on behalf of Iran. Cypriot authorities detained Sultanov on 17 July, and he remains in custody pending extradition proceedings.
Sultanov is accused of carrying out hostile surveillance on RAF Akrotiri and sharing information with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The alleged espionage activities took place between 11 May and 22 June 2024.
First overseas National Security Act investigation
The case marks Britain’s first overseas investigation under the National Security Act. The probe was led by Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) London, which coordinated with local authorities to secure the arrest.
RAF Akrotiri is one of two sovereign base areas Britain retained in Cyprus following the island's independence in 1960. The UK has maintained a permanent presence at the site since the 1950s. The base has been used for operations in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
Regional tensions and recent attacks
The arrest occurs amid heightened regional tensions. In recent months, RAF Akrotiri has launched operations to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones. Earlier this month, the IRGC threatened to attack any British military bases used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran.
Facilities at Akrotiri sustained slight damage from an Iranian-type Shahed drone strike on 2 March. Following that incident, Britain stated that Akrotiri would not be part of its defensive agreement with the US regarding the use of UK bases. In March, Iran also reportedly fired two ballistic missiles at a US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, though neither hit the target.