United Kingdom condemns Iran’s execution of Alireza Akbari

• Iran hangs dual British-Iranian citizen on suspicion of espionage and corruption.
• He allegedly gave information to foreign officials about 178 Iranian individuals.
• Britain’s prime minister said he was “appalled” by the execution.

Iran hung a dual British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari on suspicions of espionage and corruption on Saturday, according to a state-affiliated media outlet.

This was the most recent in a succession of executions carried out by a regime coping with unprecedented nationwide protests.

According to the Iranian judiciary-affiliated publication Mizan, the official from Iran, Alireza Akbari, was put to death for offences like “corruption on earth.”

According to Iranian state media on Saturday, Akbari was accused of spying for the British intelligence organization MI6 and paid more than $2 million in several currencies, including 1.805 million euros, 265,000 British pounds, and $50,000.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “appalled by the execution.” He added on Twitter: “This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people. My thoughts are with Alireza’s friends and family.”

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I am appalled by the execution of British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari in Iran.

This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people. My thoughts are with Alireza’s friends and family.

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) January 14, 2023

According to Iranian media, Akbari allegedly gave information to foreign officials about 178 Iranian individuals, including the nation’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

According to a state-affiliated publication, Fakhrizadeh was murdered in 2020 by a remote-controlled machine gun fired from a moving vehicle.

At the time, Iran’s top leaders claimed that Israel was responsible for the scheme without offering any proof.

Iran’s national news agency stated that Akbari worked directly with research institutions in London that it claimed were run by intelligence officers while hiding his actions under the façade of a commercial enterprise devoted to research and trade.

Local media also highlighted claims that Akbari met with Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Iran, and an MI6 intelligence operative.

Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death penalty handed down to Akbari after deeming it to be based on “substantiated evidence,” according to local media.

Mizan didn’t say how long ago the execution took place. Just a few days ago, on January 11, Akbari’s death sentence was officially revealed following his conviction for spying for the United Kingdom. Akbari had refuted the allegations.

Akbari had allegedly been detained “some time ago,” according to allegations that were reported in Mizan on Wednesday. According to the Media, Akbari was detained in 2019.

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