London taxi driver arrested on suspicion of 'spying at Cyprus RAF base for Iran'
A man has been arrested on suspicion of espionage at an RAF base in Cyprus.
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Taxi driver Rashad Sultanov, 45, a dual UK and Azerbaijani national living in Islington, north London, is suspected of spying for Iran by monitoring fighter jet movements at the island’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus.
It is alleged he carried out surveillance on the base, which is British sovereign territory, and then shared the information with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Scotland Yard said he was arrested in Cyprus and is accused of conducting 'hostile surveillance' at RAF Akrotiri.
Sultanov was first arrested by police in Cyprus in June 2025. Criminal charges were suspended earlier this month after British prosecutors intervened to try to extradite him so he could face espionage charges in the UK.
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When he was arrested last June, local reports said that he was held after allegedly taking long lens photos of the base as well as writing copious notes.
Scotland Yard said today that Sultanov was arrested on Friday, July 17 by Cypriot authorities and is being held in custody while he appears in court for extradition proceedings.
The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised charges against him under section 3 and 4 of the National Security Act.
The Met Police said it is the first investigation of its kind using the National Security Act 2023 in relation to alleged offences overseas.
A friend of his told the Telegraph that he had been working in Leicester as a taxi driver before moving to London where he was trying to get his taxi licence.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London, 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.
"A huge amount of partnership work has been carried out between British and Cypriot law enforcement agencies.
"We continue to work with colleagues from the CPS, National Crime Agency and Cypriot authorities as extradition proceedings progress."