Rishi Sunak condemns 'callous and cowardly' execution of Iranian-British Alireza Akbari

For free real-time news alerts sent directly in your inbox Sign up for our news emailsSign up for our free news emailsPlease enter a valid email addressPlease enter a valid email addressI would like to receive emails about offers , events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice{{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}An error has occurred. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Rishi Sunak has condemned the "callous and cowardly" execution of a British-Iranian dual national in Iran.

Alireza Akbari, who once served in Iran's defense ministry, had been charged with espionage, an allegation he denied. Iran's Mizan news agency, associated with the country's judiciary, said he was hanged.

Mr. Sunak, writing on Twitter on Saturday morning, said: "I am appalled at the execution of British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari in Iran.

Former Iranian Deputy Minister of Defence, British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari

"It was a ruthless and cowardly act, perpetrated by a barbaric regime without any respect for the rights of his own people," continued the Prime Minister. "My thoughts are with Alireza's friends and family."

Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Alicia Kearns said further described Iran as a "terrorist state" whose actions were "heinous".

Mr Akbari was arrested in 2019 and charged with spying for MI6, linked to nuclear talks between Iran and Western countries.

His execution took place despite Foreign Secretary James Cleverly's plea not to continue.

"Iran must end I execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari and release him immediately," Cleverly tweeted earlier this week. "This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has complete disregard for human life."

On Saturday morning, after the announcement of the execution, the minister said that the killing would not be "uncontested".

Mr. Akbari was arrested in 2019

(Khabar Online/AFP via Getty Imag)

"Iran has executed a British national," he tweeted. “This barbaric act deserves to be condemned in the strongest terms. This will not go unchallenged. My thoughts are with Alireza Akbari's family.

Ms Kearns has previously accused Iranians of seeking to 'arm' dual nationals as anti-government protests rock the country. She said Mr Akbari may have been singled out by the regime because of his closeness to a prominent Iranian moderate who...