UK sanctions Iran's prosecutor general after execution of British man accused of spying for MI6

14 January 2023, 07:47 | Updated: 14 January 2023, 14:32

The UK has sanctioned Iran's prosecutor general after the "barbaric regime" executed a dual British-Iranian national on spy charges.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the move "underlines our disgust" at the decision to put Alireza Akbari to death.

Prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri is at the "heart of Iran's use of the death penalty", the Cabinet minister added.

Mr Cleverly confirmed reports from Iranian state media on Saturday morning, saying it was a "barbaric act" that deserves "condemnation in the strongest possible terms".

He had appealed on Friday to Iranian authorities not to proceed.

But a statement from the Iranian Students' News Agency less than a day later said: "The sentence of Alireza Akbari, the son of Ali with dual Iranian-British citizenship, who was sentenced to death on charges of corruption in the land and widespread action against the country's internal and external security through espionage for the intelligence apparatus of the British government, was executed."

Mr Cleverly tweeted: "Iran has executed a British national.

"This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms. This will not stand unchallenged.

"My thoughts are with Alireza Akbari’s family."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was a "callous and cowardly act".

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

"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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Mr Akbari was an Iranian former deputy defence minister who was arrested in 2019 and accused of espionage for MI6 related to past nuclear talks between Iran and western nations.

He denied the charge and said he was tortured and forced to confess on camera to crimes he did not commit, according to the BBC.

Mr Cleverly had warned Tehran that London was watching the case "closely".

He previously said: "The Iranian regime should be in no doubt. We are watching the case of Alireza Akbari closely.

"Iran must not follow through with their brutal threat of execution."

Earlier this week, Mr Akbari's wife Maryam said she was invited to a "final meeting" at the prison where he was put in solitary confinement.

Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns previously accused the Iranians of seeking to "weaponise" dual nationals as anti-government protests convulse the country.

She said Mr Akbari may have been singled out by the regime because of his closeness to a leading Iranian moderate who has led calls for dialogue and discussion.

Tehran has detained a number of dual and foreign nationals in recent years, including British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was held in 2016 and released last year.

The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.