British-Azerbaijani national arrested for allegedly spying on airbase in Cyprus for Iran's IRGC

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A 44-year-old British-Azerbaijani national has been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on a British airbase and passing information to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the Metropolitan Police. Rashad Sultanov, from Islington in north London, was arrested on 17 July by Cypriot authorities and is being held in custody as extradition proceedings continue, the police said in a statement on Friday.

The arrest is part of Britain's first overseas National Security Act investigation, led by counter-terrorism police into incidents at Britain's RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus between 11 May and 22 June last year, the statement said.

Coverage comparison

Both The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post reported the arrest, carrying the same core details: Sultanov's identity, the date of arrest, and the nature of the investigation. Both outlets noted that Sultanov allegedly conducted hostile surveillance on the base and is alleged to have shared information with the IRGC. The two reports also cited the same statement from Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, who said: "This case shows we are able to use the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile state activity."

The coverage from the Jerusalem Post, which attributed its report to Reuters, included additional context on the base's facilities, such as images of RAF Akrotiri and an F-35 jet. The Guardian's report provided more historical detail, noting that Akrotiri is one of two bases Britain has retained in its former colony since independence in 1960 and has been used for military operations in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

Key claims

The Metropolitan Police stated that Sultanov was arrested as part of an investigation into incidents at RAF Akrotiri, with the period under scrutiny falling between 11 May and 22 June last year. The police also allege that Sultanov conducted hostile surveillance on the base and shared information with the IRGC. Flanagan's comment underscored the use of the National Security Act overseas, framing the case as an instance of alleged hostile state activity.

Both outlets also reported broader context involving Iran and British military installations. The IRGC threatened earlier this month to attack any British military bases used by US forces to launch attacks on Iran. An Iranian-type Shahed drone strike caused slight damage to facilities at Akrotiri on 2 March. Soon afterwards, Britain said the base would not be part of its defensive agreement with the US over the use of UK bases.

In March, Iran was reported to have fired two ballistic missiles at a US-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, though neither hit the target. This context was included in both reports, though the Guardian provided additional historical framing for Akrotiri's role in British military operations.

Cypriot police did not immediately return a request for comment, according to The Guardian's report.

Perspectives

The Metropolitan Police, through its statement and Flanagan's quote, presented the case as a successful use of the National Security Act to address alleged espionage targeting British military facilities. The police did not provide further details on the evidence or the status of extradition proceedings, and no other parties, such as Cypriot authorities or representatives for Sultanov, were quoted in the available reports.