Alireza Akbari: Widespread outrage after British-Iranian executed - BBC

The execution of British-Iranian antheral Alireza Akbari, who had been sentenced to death, has been wide condemned.

The ex-deputy Iranian defence curate was arrested successful 2019 and convicted of spying for the UK, which helium denied.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his execution was a "callous and cowardly act, carried retired by a barbaric regime".

France summoned Iran's apical diplomat successful Paris, informing that Tehran's repeated violations of planetary instrumentality could not spell unanswered.

Meanwhile, the UK has imposed sanctions connected Iran's Prosecutor General, saying it would clasp the authorities to relationship "for its appalling quality rights violations".

"Sanctioning him contiguous underlines our disgust astatine Alireza Akbari's execution," UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

In a further diplomatic move, the overseas caput has temporarily withdrawn Britain's ambassador to Iran, Simon Shercliff, "for further consultations".

The Iranian judiciary's authoritative quality outlet Mizan reported connected Saturday that Mr Akbari, 61, had been hanged. It did not specify the day erstwhile the execution took place.

Iran posted a video of Mr Akbari earlier this week showing what appeared to beryllium forced confessions, and aft the country's quality ministry had described the British-Iranian arsenic "one of the astir important agents of the British quality work successful Iran".

However, BBC Persian broadcast an audio connection connected Wednesday from Mr Akbari successful which helium said helium had been tortured and forced to confess connected camera to crimes helium did not commit.

Mr Akbari's household had been asked to spell to his situation for a "final visit" connected Wednesday and his woman said helium had been moved to solitary confinement.

His nephew, Ramin Forghani, has told the BBC of his daze astatine his uncle's execution, describing it arsenic the motion of a "desperate" regime.

He said his uncle was an Iranian patriot devoted to the state - a seasoned of the Iran-Iraq war, advisor to the Iranian authorities connected atomic talks with the West and besides a erstwhile lawman defence minister.

Mr Akbari had moved to the UK with an concern visa and go a naturalised citizen.

But Mr Forghani said his uncle had returned to Tehran from the UK pursuing a petition from his erstwhile boss, Ali Shamkhani, caput of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran.

Speaking to the BBC from Luxembourg, Mr Forghani said: "He was devoted to the country, which is wherefore helium went back.

"He was progressive with the strategy from its foundation, and would not contemplate causing harm either to the authorities oregon the population.

"I tin lone speculate that determination has been immoderate powerfulness conflict astatine the precise highest levels of the authorities and they person decided to make this crippled against my uncle."

Mr Forghani links the timing of his execution to the UK's plans to designate Iran's almighty IRGC - the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - arsenic a violent organisation. "This cannot beryllium unrelated," helium said.

Human rights radical Amnesty International called connected the UK to analyse claims Mr Akbari was tortured earlier his death. The radical accused Iran of showing "pitifully small respect" for quality life.

Dr Sanam Vakil, Iran adept astatine planetary affairs think-tank Chatham House, said Mr Akbari's decease would beryllium utilized by the Iranian authorities to suggest a "heavy extracurricular hand" was stoking the anti-government unrest - linking the protests with the accusation that Western nations were trying to "destabilise the Islamic republic".

"Keeping the communicative of the West being progressive is simply a mode to support unity among the governmental establishment," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Ties betwixt the UK and Iran person deteriorated successful caller months since London imposed sanctions connected Iran's morality constabulary and different apical information figures, successful effect to the country's convulsive crackdown connected anti-government protesters.

Iran has arrested dozens of Iranians with dual nationality oregon overseas imperishable residency successful caller years, mostly connected spying and nationalist information charges.

British-Iranian citizens Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released and allowed to permission Iran past twelvemonth aft the UK settled a longstanding indebtedness owed to Tehran.

However, astatine slightest 2 different British-Iranians stay successful detention, including Morad Tahbaz, who besides holds US citizenship.