Iran: An Iranian-Briton was executed after his death sentence for espionage

Europe 1 with AFP 6:40 p.m., January 14, 2023

An Iranian-British man sentenced to death for espionage, Alireza Akbari, has been executed by hanging in Iran, the Iranian judicial authority agency Mizan Online announced on Saturday.

According to this agency, Mr. Akbari, 61, had been convicted of “corruption on Earth and of undermining the internal and external security of the country for having transmitted information” to the United Kingdom.

A "barbaric act" which "will not go unanswered," reacted British Foreign Minister James Cleverly.

London will "summon the Iranian charge d'affaires to tell him of our disgust," he added. 

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“An additional step has been taken” 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, denounced on Twitter a "ruthless and cowardly" condemnation.

France acted shortly after to condemn "with the greatest firmness" this execution, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published on Saturday.

"The Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Paris was summoned once again this morning to express our indignation" and warn him that "the repeated violations of international law by Iran cannot go unanswered , particularly when it comes to the treatment of foreign nationals that this country arbitrarily detains,” the ministry said.

Seven French are currently detained in Tehran. 

"An additional step has been taken with this execution", governed at the microphone of Europe 1 the geopolitician and director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris) Pascal Boniface.

"The Iranian regime openly challenges the UK and all Western countries."

According to him, the European Union could decide to "classify the Revolutionary Guards on the list of terrorist organizations and also take more sanctions, perhaps individual, compared to the Iranian leaders, some of whom come to Europe".