World War III fears surge as 'spy' for Iran arrested for monitoring RAF base amid rising mid-east tensions
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Man observed the base with lens and cellphones
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A British man has been arrested in Cyrus on suspicion of spying and terror-related offences and authorities believe that the suspect was monitoring RAF Akrotiri on behalf of Iran amid country's rising tensions with Israel and US. He is suspected of having links with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps , according to The Independent.Greek police said the 26-year-old Azerbaijani man was detained on Sunday, based on information from the country's intelligence service. According to local news sources, the suspect reportedly has connections to Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.He appeared in a district court earlier on Saturday and was detained for a further eight days. The Foreign Office said it was in contact with Cypriot authorities, according to BBC. Police told the news agency Reuters they would not be releasing further details, citing national security.RAF Akrotiri is the UK's most important airbase for operations in the Middle East. It plays a critical role in British operations throughout the Middle East. His arrest occurred on Friday after intelligence suggested he was preparing to carry out a terrorist act imminently, as reported by Philenews.The man was reportedly observed near RAF Akrotiri, a critical UK airbase for Middle East operations, carrying a camera with a long lens and multiple mobile phones. According to investigators, the man was living in an apartment in Limassol's Zakaki district, a short distance from the base. He was allegedly seen near RAF Akrotiri with a camera equipped with a telephoto lens and in possession of three mobile phones. It comes after Trump was humiliated by reporters after his alarming warning over Iran.The suspect is also alleged to have had the Cyprus Andreas Papandreou airbase, in the western region of Paphos, under surveillance since mid-April, the country's ANT1 news portal reported. Local reports suggested he was Azerbaijani but the UK Foreign Office said they were working with the authorities over the arrest of a Briton.A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with the authorities in Cyprus regarding the arrest of a British man.'RAF Akrotiri hosts a variety of aircraft, including fighter jets, reconnaissance planes, transport aircraft, and aerial refuelling tankers. The base is also central to the UK's ongoing mission targeting Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in Syria and Iraq, serving as a launch point for related operations reports The Irish Star.
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