British prosecutors charged a 44-year-old Azerbaijani man, a London resident, with conducting hostile surveillance of a British military base in Cyprus and passing information to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
British prosecutors have formally indicted Rashad Sultanov, a 44-year-old British-Azeri taxi driver from London, on charges of conducting hostile surveillance of the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus and passing information to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The indictment, filed by the Crown Prosecution Service, marks the latest step in a case that began with Sultanov's arrest in Cyprus on July 17. The suspect is currently in Cypriot custody, and Britain is seeking his extradition.
The Zioneer has been covering this story since earlier today. At 10:09 Jerusalem, the desk reported an initial BBC report of a British citizen arrested for IRGC espionage on the Cyprus base. Within the same hour, it was revealed that Cypriot authorities had arrested a 44-year-old man with British and Azerbaijani citizenship, and London police identified him as Rashad Sultanov. Cypriot authorities subsequently confirmed the arrest. The formal indictment now advances the legal proceedings.
The case is part of a broader pattern of Iranian intelligence activity against Western targets. As The Zioneer has reported, British authorities in July charged a Liverpool man, Vahid Avri, 39, with aiding Iranian intelligence operations. In Israel, prosecutors sought an indictment of a Tajik national, Behrouz Sobirgon, for documenting strategic sites for Iran. The IRGC has also claimed strikes on US bases in the region and threatened operations in the Gulf.
Sultanov's extradition timeline and trial date have not been set. The specific information he is alleged to have passed to the IRGC, and whether he acted alone or as part of a larger network, remain under investigation.
6 developments
- DevelopingBritish police charge Liverpool man, 39, with aiding Iranian intelligence
- ConfirmedIsraeli Prosecutors Seek Indictment of Tajik National for Allegedly Spying for Iran
- StrongUK says forces ready to defend country after IRGC threatens bases
- StrongHaifa resident charged with spying for Iran during wartime
Source and signal
- Open-source intake