British Man Arrested for Alleged Spying at RAF Base in Cyprus

Rashad Sultanov, a 44-year-old British citizen from Islington, London, has been arrested in Cyprus on charges of espionage for the Iranian military. He is accused of conducting hostile surveillance on the RAF Akrotiri base, a key UK military installation, and allegedly sharing sensitive information with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Sultanov, who also holds Azerbaijani citizenship, was taken into custody by Cypriot police on July 17 and is now awaiting extradition proceedings.

The Crown Prosecution Service has indicated that Sultanov will face charges under the National Security Act, marking the first instance of such an investigation being pursued in an overseas territory since the law's enactment in 2023. RAF Akrotiri has been a permanent UK base since the 1950s and has recently been involved in operations aimed at countering Iranian missile and drone threats.

The investigation, led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, focused on alleged spying activities that occurred between May 11 and June 22, 2025. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, emphasized the significance of this case, stating that it demonstrates the UK's capability to enforce the National Security Act abroad when British military bases are targeted by hostile state actions. She noted the extensive collaboration between British and Cypriot law enforcement agencies in this matter, and affirmed that cooperation with the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency, and Cypriot authorities will continue as the extradition process unfolds.