Iran’s judiciary announced that Alireza Akban - arrested as a spy for MI6 in 2019 and then convicted and sentenced to death - was executed by Iran today. He was a dual British-Iranian national and former senior security official, who served as Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister between 2000 and 2008. The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary stated: “Alireza Akbari, who was sentenced to death on charges of corruption on Earth and extensive action against the country’s internal and external security through espionage for the British government’s intelligence service … was executed.” It added that Akbari had received a total of €1,805,000 euros, £265,000 and $50,000 for his spying activities.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak branded the execution a “callous and cowardly act” and London slapped personal sanctions on Iran’s prosecutor general over the execution of Akbari. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly declared that London was “holding the regime to account for its appalling human rights violations… Sanctioning him today underlines our disgust at Alireza Akbari’s execution. The Prosecutor General is at the heart of Iran’s use of the death penalty.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry then summoned the British ambassador to express indignation over London’s alleged “acts of sabotage and acts against national security.” It stated: “In response to Britain’s unconventional interventions, including in the national security field of the Islamic Republic of Iran, today, Simon Shercliff, the ambassador of this country in Tehran, was summoned.” It said that the continuation of such illegal and criminal actions cannot be tolerated in any way; therefore, the British government must accept the consequences of the responsibility of continuing its unorthodox and interventionist approach.