London taxi driver suspected of spying at British base in Cyprus

UK authorities suspect 45-year-old taxi driver Rashad Sultanov of spying on behalf of Iran. According to investigators, he collected information about the movements of military aircraft at the British airbase in Akrotiri, Cyprus.

Sultanov, who holds British and Azerbaijani citizenship and lives in London, was detained by the Cypriot authorities on 17 July. He is currently in custody awaiting consideration of the extradition case in the UK.

According to British police, the man is suspected of carrying out «hostile surveillance» of Akrotiri airbase, which is British territory in Cyprus. Investigators believe the information collected may have been passed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

It was previously reported that, during his first detention in Cyprus in June 2025, photographs of the base taken with a high-magnification lens, as well as numerous notes, were found in his possession.

British prosecutors authorised charges against Sultanov under provisions of the National Security Act 2023. Police noted that this is the first investigation of its kind involving alleged offences committed outside the UK.

British and Cypriot law enforcement agencies continue to cooperate on the case. The extradition decision will be made as part of judicial proceedings.