Türkiye cracks down on Iranian spy cell, six detained PHOTO

Turkish security and intelligence agencies have detained six individuals on suspicion of spying for Iran, in an operation spanning five provinces, officials said.

The detainees include business figures Erhan Ergelen and Taner Özcan, defence industry executives, textile businessmen Cemal Beyaz and Remzi Beyaz, Alican Koç, and Iranian national Ashkan Jalali, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

All six were remanded in custody by Istanbul’s magistrate court on charges of obtaining state secrets for political or military espionage.

According to reports from pro-government media, the group was allegedly led by Iranian intelligence operatives Najaf Rostami and Mahdi Yekeh Dehghan. Rostami reportedly tasked Koç, who lives in Van, with identifying individuals capable of photographing and filming at the U.S. Incirlik Air Base in Adana.

The reports also suggest that Jalali and Koç participated in “special” drone training in Iran between August and September 2025. Remzi Beyaz is said to have claimed in his testimony that he was approached with a proposal to target opposition figures.

By Aghakazim Guliyev