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LAST UPDATE | 14 Jan 2023
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has condemned Iran for the “callous and cowardly” decision to execute British-Iranian dual national Alireza Akbari.
Sunak said he was “appalled” by Tehran’s “barbaric regime” after its state media announced the killing.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly vowed that the action taken by Iran would “not stand unchallenged” by the UK.
Iranian state media announced today that Akbari had been put to death.
I am appalled by the execution of British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari in Iran.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) January 14, 2023
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.
He 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, according to reports.
He denied the charge and said he was tortured and forced to confess on camera to crimes he did not commit, BBC Persian reported.
Sunak, writing on Twitter, said: “I am appalled by the execution of British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari in Iran.
“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.”
Cleverly also posted on social media saying: “Iran has executed a British national.
Iran has executed a British national.
— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) January 14, 2023
This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms.
This will not stand unchallenged.
My thoughts are with Alireza Akbari’s family.
“This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms.
“This will not stand unchallenged. My thoughts are with Alireza Akbari’s family.”
In its report, the Iranian Students’ News agency 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.”
Earlier this week, Akbari’s wife Maryam told BBC Persian she was invited to a “final meeting” at the prison where he was put in solitary confinement.
International reports said there were rumours Akbari, who was seen as a moderate in Iranian politics, might have been executed “days ago”.
David Lammy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, said Iran’s Islamic Republic “must be held accountable” for what he said were “flagrant breaches of human rights and international law” following the execution of the dual national.
Yesterday, Cleverly had warned Tehran that London was watching the case “closely”.
He tweeted yesterday: “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.”
Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns previously accused the Iranians of seeking to “weaponise” dual nationals as anti-government protests convulse the country.
“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 BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.
She said 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.
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The British government were powerless to help this man. What is the point of having diplomatic relations with a country that acts in such a barbaric way? Ireland should also cut ties with this despotic regime.
When I became an Irish citizen I was told that the Irish government could not help me in the former country of my citizenship even though Ireland allows dual citizenship. I don’t think if this man was really a spy he would have risked returning to Iran without diplomatic protection.
@Nomis Andrews: That’s the thing: while Ireland recognises dual citizenship, Iran does not. Akbari was lured back to Iran on the pretense of being needed to provide diplomatic input on nuclear talks and then arrested. He was then treated as an Iranian national and his British citizenship did nothing for him, in fact it may have been a burden for the poor fella in retrospect. It’s the sovereign right of nations to grant citizenship, but unfortunately the hiatus is that it isn’t an international requirement to mutually recognise citizenship.
Now Rushi like all Western leaders should throw out all families belong to the Iranian Government, Military or anyone close too the regime. It is not their fault buy why should they have freedom in the West while their Grandfather or Father insist on treating their own people so badly, murdering, raping and executing all in the name of religion.
@Mick McGuinness: afraid of tit-for-tat, afraid their own relatives could be put in danger.
@Mick McGuinness: That applies to Russia too. Deportation and asset seizure.
A big dose of merican freedom coming Irans way in the next decade
@Aidy McBride: Might also be Chinese by Russian proxy.
@Aidy McBride: Iran is just under four times larger than Iraq and has a population of 80 million vs Iraqs 30 million. The US won’t be looking to repeat their experience in Iraq against a larger and more formidable enemy.
@Sean: I don’t think that’s his point, I suspect it’s sort of playing into the Iranian narrative that the protests are a result of foreign interference. Which it incidentally isn’t – it’s just generation Z not accepting to be subjugated.
@Sean: these things usually start from the inside out. Could the protests be the start of something bigger? I’m just speculating here of course. Also if it came to a fight between the armed forces of Iran vs the armed forces of the USA it would be over in weeks, an insurgency or an attempt to occupy is obviously something very different but pound for pound it wouldn’t even be a contest.
@Aidy McBride: I’m not saying you are wrong, but action by the US against Iran leads to complications. The Iranians shot down a passenger plane by mistake after Trump’s administration assassinated their senior general by drone. Jimmy Carter’s administrations plan to rescue the American hostages almost certainly would have led to serious casualties (if the helicopter collision hadn’t already occurred). I canno imagine US troops could have retrieved those hostages from the city location they were in without engaging with both Iranian soldiers and fundamentalist citizens.
How come Sunak is not condemning Harry’s admission to murdering 26 people in Afghanistan..
@Roger Bond: is it just Harry that was doing the murdering while on active service or is every other soldier that killed out there guilty of murder too?
@Roger Bond: Harry admitted to 25 Taliban deaths not 26 people as you stated. You also call the Taliban, people? The Taliban are a terrorist group of animals who murder, maim and disfigure innocent Human beings in the name of their Religion and treat the Afghan People like sh£ite. The Iranian government do the same.
No one saying he wasn’t a spy . Won’t go unchallenged says Cleverly who told people not to challenge Qatar .
God will have the final say
Barbaric, anti human rights dictatorship. May the Iranian government officials who sanctioned this evil act, burn in hell themselves. An absolute outrage.
There are many Evil regimes out there including Iran, Russia, North Korea, Burma and many more who we can’t mention
My condolences to Alireza’s family and all those who live under the Iranian Holy Gid fearing state.
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