Cypriot authorities have arrested a 44-year-old dual British and Azerbaijani national on suspicion of spying on the Akrotiri air base on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Sky News.

According to the report, the suspect is named Rashad Sultanov and was arrested on Friday, July 17.

Sultanov was detained as part of an investigation being conducted by London’s Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) into incidents that took place at the British Akrotiri air base between May 11 and June 22, 2025.

According to Sky News, the 44-year-old Azerbaijani national allegedly carried out surveillance of the base and subsequently passed information to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The arrest was reportedly made under an investigation initiated by British prosecutors under the National Security Act.

The head of London’s Counter Terrorism Command said that the case “demonstrates that we can apply the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile actions from state actors.”