The UK arrested a person at its military base in Cyprus on suspicion of spying for Iran's Revolutionary Guards. London's Metropolitan Police announced that 44-year-old Rashad Sultanov was detained at RAF Akrotiri for allegedly carrying out 'hostile reconnaissance'.
Sultanov, who holds both British and Azerbaijani citizenship, was arrested by authorities in Cyprus on July 17. The Metropolitan Police said Sultanov remains in custody while extradition proceedings continue.
According to the police statement, Sultanov is alleged to have conducted surveillance on the base between May 11 and June 22 last year and passed the information he obtained to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
This investigation marks the first National Security Act investigation conducted by the UK abroad. Helen Flanagan, head of London's counter-terrorism police, said: 'This case shows that we can use the National Security Act overseas when British military bases are allegedly targeted by hostile state activity.'