Iran Executes ex-Defense Minister For Allegedly Spying For UK

Iran has carried out the execution of Alireza Akbari, former Deputy Defense Minister, of the Asian country, the Judiciary’s official news outlet said on Saturday.

According to the Iranian judicial Mizan news outlet, Akbari, who is a dual citizen of Iran and Britain was hanged after being “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.”

“The actions of the British spy service in this case have shown the value of the convict, the importance of his access and the enemy’s trust in him,” it added.

Iran accused Akbari for allegedly receiving 1,805,000 euros, 265,000 pounds, and $50,000 for spying.

Iranian State media broadcast a video on Thursday in which they claimed that Akbari played a role in the 2020 assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed in a 2020 attack outside Tehran which authorities blamed at the time on Israel.

Akbari was accused of sharing Iranian Intelligence with United Kingdom and received British citizenship as a reward for “betraying” his country.

He denied all accusations saying that he was tortured to confess to crimes he never committed.

James Cleverly, British foreign secretary who asked the Islamic republic not to go on with the execution said the execution was a “politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life,” he said.

The relationship between London and Tehran has been on shaky ground for a long time and it degenerated more when the Britain became very vocal about the crackdown on protesters in the Islamic republic after the incident of a woman who died in custody for alleged wrong use of her head cover known as hijab.