UK Man Arrested in Cyprus for Alleged Espionage on Military Base

Rashad Sultanov, a 44-year-old U.K.-Azerbaijani national, was arrested in Greek Cyprus on July 17 on suspicion of espionage related to the RAF Akrotiri air force base. The Metropolitan Police in London stated that Sultanov is accused of conducting hostile surveillance on the base and passing information to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. British authorities are currently seeking his extradition. Reports indicate that Sultanov resides in London and works as a taxi driver.

RAF Akrotiri serves as the U.K.'s primary air base for operations in the Middle East, having been utilized for missions against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, as well as for strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The base was notably targeted by an Iranian-made drone in March amid escalating tensions in the region.

Charges against Sultanov have been authorized under the National Security Act, following an investigation by counterterrorism detectives into incidents at the base that occurred in May and June 2025. Commander Helen Flanagan of London’s counterterror policing unit emphasized the importance of the case, stating that it demonstrates the ability to apply the National Security Act internationally when British military bases are threatened by hostile state activities.

This arrest comes shortly after the U.K. designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a national security threat, amid concerns over increasing attacks in Europe linked to Iran-backed groups, particularly targeting the Jewish community and opponents of the Iranian government. The U.K. retained control of RAF Akrotiri and another base in Greek Cyprus following the island's independence from British colonial rule in 1960.