Cyprus detains British national on suspicion of espionage for Iran
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
A British citizen was arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of espionage and terrorism. He is linked to surveillance of Air Force bases and possible connections to Iran, according to The Guardian.
A British citizen has been suspected of ties to Iranian intelligence services. He was detained on Friday, June 20, amid suspicions that he was planning a terrorist attack.
According to local media, he was likely conducting surveillance on the Royal Air Force base in Akrotiri and had connections with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
On Saturday, the British man appeared before a district court, which decided to keep him in custody for eight days for further investigation.
Police declined to provide details of the case, citing national security concerns.
It is known that the suspect lived in the town of Zakaki, near the Akrotiri base. He was seen carrying a camera with a powerful lens and three phones. Additionally, since mid-April, he allegedly monitored another military base, Andreas Papandreou, in the Paphos region.
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is cooperating with Cypriot authorities regarding the case of the British citizen, thereby refuting reports that the detainee is of Azerbaijani origin.
The US has joined Israel’s operation against Iran’s nuclear and military sites.
