'Barbaric regime': Britain demands Iran halts execution of ex-government official accused of spying for MI6

11 January 2023, 18:29

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

The UK government has demanded that Iran halts the execution of an ex-government official who has been accused of spying for MI6 by Tehran.

British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, a former Iranian deputy defence minister, was arrested and convicted of spying for the UK in 2019, which he denies.

Mr Akbari, who has lived in the UK for the last decade, now faces execution.

James Cleverly has condemned the planned execution of the dual citizen and appealed for it not to go ahead.

The Foreign Secretary tweeted: "Iran must halt the execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari and immediately release him.

"This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life."

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Akbari’s wife, Maryam Akbari, told the Guardian she feared her husband could face execution in the next 24 hours.

“He is entirely innocent and the victim of political games inside the country,” she said.

A family friend added: “It’s like an explosion in the life of a person who devoted his life to protect his country. Even if the UK Foreign Office can buy time for their citizen to see and speak to his family, that would relieve some pressure.”

Meanwhile, Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns accused the regime in Tehran of reacting because it felt "cornered" as a result of international sanctions and the continuing wave of anti-government protests.

"It is another horrifying example of the Iranian regime, because they feel they are cornered, because there is such significant pressure from sanctions, weaponising British nationals and industrialising hostage-taking," she told the BBC.

Ms Kearns added that Western countries should continue to respond with fresh sanctions against the "barbaric" regime.

"Every time the Iranian government assassinates an individual involved in the protests, there should be sanctions applied by Western government the next day to make the point that we stand by those protesting for the basic rights of Iranians otherwise we are showing no meaningful support to them," she said.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of Mr Akbari and have repeatedly raised his case with the Iranian authorities.

“Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access.”