Turkish security forces have busted an Iranian intelligence cell accused of spying on a major U.S. military installation, injecting a new layer of tension into an already volatile standoff between Washington and Tehran.

According to Sabah newspaper, Turkish intelligence and Istanbul police detained six suspects across five provinces in an operation targeting a network allegedly tasked with collecting intelligence on Incirlik Air Base, a key U.S. and NATO facility in southern Turkey.

Turkish officials said the cell was directed by two alleged Iranian intelligence operatives, identified as NR, codenamed “Haji,” and MYD, codenamed “Doctor.” The investigation found that NR instructed a Turkish national, identified as AK and based in the eastern province of Van, to recruit individuals to photograph and film sensitive areas of the Incirlik base in Adana.

Five of the suspects are Turkish citizens, while one, identified by the initials AJ, is an Iranian national, according to the report. All six were arrested by Istanbul Criminal Courts of Peace on charges of obtaining confidential state information for political or military espionage purposes.

The arrests come as President Donald Trump reviews military options against Iran following weeks of mass protests inside the country and a deadly government crackdown.

Investigators said the Iranian network relied on encrypted communications under the codename “Pigeon” and financed its activities through a front operation involving drone trade.

Sabah reported that Turkish national AK and Iranian national AJ attended specialized drone training programs in Iran between August and September 2025. The report also alleged that AJ, through two companies he owns, attempted to ship armed drones to the Republic of Cyprus.

Cyprus remains divided between the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus in the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Ankara. Southern Cyprus has increasingly been cited in regional reporting as a hub for U.S. and British intelligence activity, particularly since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.

Two other Turkish nationals linked to the alleged cell, identified as EE and TO, reportedly traveled to Iran in October 2025 and were involved in efforts to move drones to southern Cyprus, according to the report.

In testimony cited by Turkish media, another suspect, identified as RB, told investigators he had been offered money to carry out an assassination of Iranian dissidents — an allegation that, if substantiated, would suggest the network’s activities extended beyond intelligence collection.

The arrests follow increasingly explicit threats from Iranian officials. Earlier this month, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that Tehran could carry out preemptive strikes against Israel and U.S. military assets in the region.

“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territories and all American military centres, bases, and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Ghalibaf said during a parliamentary session. He added that Iran would not wait to respond after an attack but could act on what it deems credible signs of an impending threat.

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