British man accused of spying on Cyprus RAF base for Iran

British man accused of spying on Cyprus RAF base for Iran Rashad Sultanov, 44, of Islington, north London, who also holds Azerbaijani citizenship, was arrested by Cypriot police on 17 July on suspicion of conducting hostile surveillance of RAF Akrotiri and passing information to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. He remains in custody pending extradition. The Crown Prosecution Service said Sultanov will be charged under the National Security Act, marking the first occasion an alleged offence under the 2023 legislation has been investigated in an overseas territory. The United Kingdom has maintained a permanent base at Akrotiri since the 1950s, and RAF missions to intercept Iranian missiles and drones have been launched from the site in recent months. The investigation, led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, examined alleged espionage activity between 11 May 2025 and 22 June 2025. Commander Helen Flanagan, caput of CTP London, said: "This lawsuit shows we are capable to usage the National Security Act overseas erstwhile British subject bases are allegedly targeted by hostile authorities activity." "A immense magnitude of concern enactment has been carried retired betwixt British and Cypriot instrumentality enforcement agencies." "We proceed to enactment with colleagues from the CPS, National Crime Agency and Cypriot authorities arsenic extradition proceedings progress."