British-Azerbaijani man arrested in Cyprus for espionage

Cypriot authorities arrested 44-year-old Rashad Sultanov, a dual British and Azerbaijani national residing in Islington, London, on July 17, 2026. The arrest followed a request from the London Metropolitan Police's Counter-Terrorism Command, which is investigating allegations of hostile surveillance conducted at the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus. Prosecutors claim Sultanov monitored the restricted military installation between May 11 and June 22, 2025, and subsequently passed gathered intelligence to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

This case marks a significant legal development, as it is reportedly the first investigation conducted under the United Kingdom’s new National Security Act regarding alleged offenses linked to a British overseas territory. Sultanov remains in custody in Cyprus, and official procedures to extradite him to the United Kingdom are currently underway. Authorities continue to analyze the extent of the gathered intelligence and the suspect's operational links to the Iranian organization.