Cypriot police have thwarted an Iranian plot to attack Israeli citizens in Cyprus, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. An Azerbaijani suspect linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has been arrested and charged with terrorism offences.
The suspect, believed to be a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, was detained on Friday morning following intelligence received from a foreign partner service. He appeared before Limassol District Court, which ordered his detention for eight days in a closed hearing due to the sensitive nature of the case.
Israeli Foreign Minister Saar confirmed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps – described as the “terrorist arm” of the Iranian regime – had attempted to carry out an attack against Israeli citizens in Cyprus. He thanked Cyprus for its “swift and effective actions” in preventing the terrorist attack through cooperation between Cypriot security authorities and Israeli security services.
Surveillance operation uncovered plot
According to information obtained by Philenews, classified intelligence was received by police headquarters on 20 June 2025 from a cooperating foreign service. The intelligence indicated that the suspect had been in Cyprus collecting information since April 2025 about the presence of foreign military forces on the island and was potentially planning an imminent terrorist attack.
Physical surveillance conducted by a cooperating service since June 2025 revealed that the suspect was living in a flat near the British bases in Zakaki, Limassol, an area adjacent to the British Sovereign Base Areas.
During the surveillance operation, the suspect was observed walking near the British bases almost daily, carrying a large camera with a telephoto lens and three mobile phones. He was seen taking photographs with both his phones and other electronic devices, repeatedly recording suspicious movements whilst keeping handwritten notes.
The suspect also travelled by bus from Limassol to Paphos, then took another bus near the “Andreas Papandreou” air base. There he behaved suspiciously, taking various photographs with the suspicion that he was spying on military installations.
Charges and investigation
The suspect faces charges including terrorism, espionage, conspiracy to commit a felony and other related offences. Police stated that the arrest followed a coordinated operation by headquarters’ special unit and that investigative work is ongoing.
In his statement, Saar emphasised that “the Iranian criminal regime deliberately targets Israeli citizens both in Israel and abroad” and vowed that “Israel will continue to act to remove the existential threat posed by the Iranian terrorist regime.”
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