On January 28, 2026, Turkish intelligence and police swept up six suspects in raids across five provinces: Istanbul, Ankara, Van, Adana, and Konya.
The group, run by Iranian intelligence officers Najaf Rostami (known as “Haji”) and Mahdi Yekeh Dehghan (”Doctor”), had been conducting surveillance on Incirlik Air Base, a joint Turkish-US facility that houses American troops and nuclear weapons.
The cell collected sensitive photos, videos, and logistical details on the base, and was also moving drones through Turkey for attacks elsewhere. Among those caught was Iranian national Ashkan Jalali.
The rest—Alican Koç, Cemal Beyaz, Erhan Ergezen, Remzi Beyaz, and Taner Özcan—now face charges of political and military espionage. Evidence ties them directly to handlers in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
This bust exposes Iran's relentless aggression, as the Islamic regime in Tehran continues sponsoring terror proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis while plotting against Western allies. Incirlik has long been a thorn in Iran's side, supporting US operations against ISIS and serving as a deterrent to Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The spies' activities show us more of the broader threat from Shia extremism, which produces nothing but chaos, oppression, and death threats against Christian nations, Israel, and the West in general.