The arrest of the alleged Iranian spy, near the British Royal Air Force base

Digest opened free editor

Rola Khaleda, FT editor, chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

A British citizen was arrested on charges of spying on behalf of Iran near an air base in the United Kingdom in Cyprus, which works as a major center for the British Royal Air Force operations for the Middle East operations.

The Cypriot authorities said on Saturday that they had detained a man on charges of “terrorism and espionage.”

People in the United Kingdom familiar with the detention of local Cypriot media reports that the alleged spy had been suspected of operating in Iran.

He claims to monitor the Akrotiri base in the UK on the eastern Mediterranean Island as well as the Cypriot Andreas Papandreou Air base, which is sometimes used by the American Air Force.

The Commonwealth and Foreign Development Office said that the man was British and that they were “in contact (with) the authorities in Cyprus with regard to arrest.”

Cyprus officials initially described the suspect as Azerbaijani. The UK was unable to confirm immediately if it holds a double nationality.

After appearing in court in Cyprus on Saturday, the man was arrested for eight days on suspicion of spying.

The Cypriot government said: “Today, after a coordinated operation by the police headquarters, a person who appears to be linked to the acts of terrorists has been arrested,” the Cypriot government said.

They added that a regional court issued a detention order “for criminal actions related to other matters, with terrorism and spying.”

They refused to comment more, indicating the reasons for national security.

The Cyprus official said they were watching the individual with the allies during the past month. Cypriot media reported that the local police operation was supported by the UK Foreign Intelligence Service, MI6, and Israel Moss.

The UK Ministry of Defense directed the investigations to the FCDO, which is working closely with the MI6, as well as helping British citizens when they are arrested abroad.

The UK government policy is long for not confirming or denying claims related to intelligence matters.

The arrest comes at a time when the Israeli war with Iran is entering its eighth day, and while the United States weighs the conflict to destroy the nuclear program in Tehran.

The UK has transported additional combat aircraft and other military assets to the region, as Prime Minister Sir Kerr Starmer described as an emergency management. Some hurricane aircraft were expected to be sent to Cyprus.

On Friday, the UK’s military aircraft in Brize Norton, the largest base in the British Royal Air Force, was destroyed by the Palestinian activist group, which violated the security workshops in the engines of many aircraft.

The United Kingdom is expected to be The prohibition of work Palestine As a terrorist organization next week.

There was no little indication that the UK would join strikes on Iranian soil. Starmer emphasized the abolition of escalation and diplomacy this week, but also said that Iran should not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Starmer hinted at the end of last week that military assets in the United Kingdom can be used to defend Israel because they are trading strikes with Iran. Iran threatened the strike of the UK forces in the region if it supports Israel.

British Royal Air Force Gates helped drop the Iranian projectiles that were launched against Israel in April last year and helped set the target target in October, but the United Kingdom did not participate in the last fighting.

The Israeli ambassador in London said this week that they had not asked or discussed assistance from the United Kingdom.

Starmer may also have to weigh if it is to allow the United States to use a joint base in the United Kingdom and the United States in Diego Garcia in the Shaghus Archipelago if the Trump administration decides to enter the war.

B2 Stealth Bombers, some of which are placed on the island, is the only military plane capable of offering the largest “Bunker-Buster” bombs that are believed to be able to penetrate Iran’s underground nuclear site near Fordow.

On Friday, UK Foreign Minister David Lami met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragichi and his counterparts from France and Germany.

Lami said they were trying to provide a diplomatic “out of grant”, but they also warned Tehran that he should have talks with the United States even without stopping Israel.