UK Seeks Extradition of Man Accused of Spying for Iran at RAF Akrotiri

By Freddie Chambers and Sebastian Wigg

Britain has requested the extradition from Cyprus of Rashad Sultanov, a 44-year-old dual British-Azerbaijani national from Islington, who is suspected of spying for Iran, Reuters reports. UK police allege that Sultanov conducted hostile surveillance at RAF Akrotiri between 11 May and 22 June 2025 and passed information to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He remains in Cypriot custody while extradition proceedings continue. The allegations have not been proved in court.

The case raises serious counter-intelligence concerns for UK defence interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. RAF Akrotiri, located within a British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus, supports regional air operations, logistics and contingency activity.

The Metropolitan Police has described the case as the first investigation involving alleged offences in an overseas territory under the National Security Act. However, the immediate operational impact remains unclear. Public reporting has not established what information was collected, whether classified material was compromised or whether other individuals were involved.

The case comes amid heightened concern over Iranian state-linked activity in the UK. Last month, the government said it has responded to more than 20 Iran-backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats to British citizens in just one year while formally designating the IRGC under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026.

The Sultanov case does not establish that RAF Akrotiri suffered a significant intelligence breach or that a wider espionage network has been uncovered. It does, however, provide credible evidence of an alleged IRGC-directed effort to collect information against a strategically important British military installation. The central security implication is clear: Iranian state-linked activity is not confined to dissidents, journalists or political targets inside the UK. It may also extend directly to British defence infrastructure and overseas operational capabilities.

August 2026