British Police Charge Man over Alleged IRGC Espionage

British police have charged a British Azerbaijani man with conducting hostile reconnaissance of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and passing the information he gathered to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Rashad Sultanov, 44, was arrested by Cypriot authorities on 17 July and remains in custody pending extradition proceedings. The Metropolitan Police said the case is the first brought under the UK's National Security Act involving alleged offences committed overseas.

According to police, Sultanov carried out surveillance of the RAF Akrotiri base between 11 May and 22 June last year before allegedly passing the information to the IRGC.

The case comes amid heightened tensions between the UK and Iran. Earlier this month, the IRGC threatened to target British military bases that could be used by the US to launch attacks on Iran.

RAF Akrotiri is one of two British Sovereign Base Areas retained by the UK when Cyprus gained independence in 1960. The base has supported military operations in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

(Reuters, Lud)