British man arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of espionage and terror offences

A British national has been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of espionage and terrorism-related activities, amid allegations he was conducting surveillance for Iran, Azernews reports, citing BBC.

According to information, the man is suspected of spying on RAF Akrotiri, the UK’s most strategically important military base in the region. According to local media reports, he is of Azerbaijani descent and is believed to have links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

He was brought before a district court on Saturday and ordered to remain in custody for eight more days while investigations continue.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is in contact with Cypriot authorities regarding the arrest, but declined to comment further. “We are in contact with the authorities in Cyprus regarding the arrest of a British man,” a spokesperson said in a brief statement.

Police in Cyprus have also confirmed the arrest, stating that the suspect is being held on charges related to terrorism and espionage, though declined to provide additional details citing national security concerns.

According to reports from Cypriot news outlet ANT1, the man had allegedly been surveilling both RAF Akrotiri and Cyprus’s Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos since mid-April.

RAF Akrotiri, located on the southern coast of Cyprus, is a key operational hub for the UK Armed Forces. It houses fast jets, surveillance aircraft, refuelling tankers, and transport planes. The base has played a vital role in regional defense operations, including recent support for Israel during heightened tensions with Iran. Last week, it was announced that additional aircraft would be deployed to the base to bolster UK assets.

The investigation remains ongoing.