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A dual British-Azerbaijani national from London has been arrested in Cyprus and faces extradition to the United Kingdom on suspicion of conducting hostile surveillance of the strategic RAF Akrotiri air base and sharing the information with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Rashad Sultanov, 44, is at the center of the first investigation under the UK’s National Security Act involving an overseas territory. The case highlights growing concerns about Iranian intelligence activity targeting British military facilities in the eastern Mediterranean.
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Welcome back as the tensions between Iran and the US continue. That means that espionage is definitely not at rest. On July seventeen, twenty twenty six, Cypriot authorities over there in Greece arrested Rashan Sultanov, a forty four year old dual British and Azerbaijani citizen from Islington in North London. British counter Terrorism police later confirmed he's suspected of conducting hostile surveillance of Rif Akrotiri between May eleventh and June twenty second of last year, and sharing information with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp RIRGC. He remains in custody in Cypress while the United Kingdom seeks his extradition. The Crown Prosecution Service has authorized charges into the National Security Act, the
first time that law has been used in investigation involving in overseas territory Orif. Akrotieri sits on the southern coast of Cypress under British sovereignty. It has long served as a critical staging post for UK operations across the Middle Least, including missions against Islamic state targets and more recently activity related to regional tensions involving Iran. In March twenty twenty six and Iranian type Shahad drones struck the base, causing limited damage. The IRGC has previously issued threats regarding British facilities using connection with operations against Iran. According to British police, sultan Off allegedly conducted surveillance of the base and then passed the details to the IRGC. Reporting has described the
use of long lens cameras, mobile phones, extensive notes, with material reportedly encrypted and sent to a handler. One individual named in connection with the cases in Azerbarijani, Iranian national subject to an international arrest warrant. Sultanov has been described in some coverage as working as a taxi driver in London.
In court appearances in Cyprus, he has spoken through a translator and indicated difficulty understanding proceedings. The National Security Act modernized UK laws on espionage, sabotage and foreign interference. It's used here signals and more assert of approach to alleged intelligence gathering by states considered hostile. Sultanov denies the allegations.
Extradition proceedings are ongoing and the full evidence will be tested if and when he faces trial in the UK. What is clear is the strategic sensitivity of Acrotieri in Any systematic surveillance of aircraft movement, security arrangements or operational patterns at the base would be of significant entrance to a foreign intelligence service. The decision to pursue the case under the new legislation and to seek extradition underscores the seriousness with which the British view authorities are viewing this alleged activity.
