Newsroom
Authorities in Cyprus and Greece have uncovered what appears to be an Iranian-backed spying network operating in both countries, with two Azerbaijani nationals arrested on espionage charges.
On Saturday, Cypriot police detained a 40-year-old Azerbaijani man in Limassol. According to an article by Kathimerini Greece's Yannis Souliotis, having settled in Cyprus since April, the suspect rented an apartment in a luxury complex overlooking the British military base, where he took high-resolution photos using advanced cameras with telephoto lenses. Court documents link him to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Investigators, with assistance from a cooperating intelligence agency, likely Israeli Mossad, revealed that the man traveled to Paphos to monitor reports of U.S. military movements there. He now faces charges including terrorism and remains in custody.
Two days earlier, Greek police arrested a 26-year-old Azerbaijani on Crete after a secret investigation by Greece’s National Intelligence Service. Holding Polish travel documents, he arrived in Greece in January and settled near the strategic Souda naval base. Surveillance showed the suspect photographing warships and naval facilities, amassing about 5,000 images sent via encrypted messaging. Greek officials say he may be connected to the same espionage network.
Though not officially linked, senior Greek authorities believe both suspects acted under orders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, exploiting Azerbaijan’s close ties with Tehran. This latest case follows past incidents, including a 2021 attempt linked to Iran to assassinate an Israeli businessman in Cyprus.
