Who is Alireza Akbari, ex-deputy Iranian defence minister, that Tehran plans to execute for espionage?

The UK has urged the Iranian government to halt the plans to execute a British-Iranian dual citizen found guilty of “spying” for Britain.

Alireza Akbari, a former Iranian minister, was sentenced to death for “corruption on Earth and for harming the country’s internal and external security by passing on intelligence”, Al Jazeera reported citing Iran’s judicial news agency Mizan Online on Wednesday (11 January).

Akbari’s family told BBC Persian that he has been shifted to solitary confinement and they have been asked to go to his prison for a “final visit”.

Calling the execution a “politically motivated act”, the UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, has called for Iran to release Akbari. “Iran must halt the execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari and immediately release him. This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life,” Cleverly tweeted.

Iran must halt the execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari and immediately release him.

This is a politically motivated act by a barbaric regime that has total disregard for human life.

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) January 11, 2023

Who is Alireza Akbari and what has Iran accused him of? Let’s take a closer look.

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Who is Alireza Akbari?

Alireza Akbari served as the deputy defense minister under Mohammad Khatami, the president of Iran from 1997 to 2005.

Citing Iranian pro-reform outlet Shargh Daily, CNN said that Akbari was a member of the military organisation that implemented the 1988 cease-fire between Iran and Iraq after their devastating eight-year war.

According to The Guardian report, Akbari supported the Iran nuclear deal that was finally signed between the west and Tehran in 2015.

Akbari was considered close to Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

The former Iranian official, who ran a private think tank, has lived in the UK for over a decade, The Guardian report further said.

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Iran’s allegations against Alireza Akbari

Akbari was arrested in 2019 in Iran where he was allegedly tortured and forced to confess crimes he did not commit, as per BBC.

The Guardian said that the ex-deputy Iranian defence minister has been lodged in Evin prison in Iran’s capital Tehran where he encountered other British Iranian dual nationals.

Confirming his death penalty, Tasnim news agency reported that Akbari was a “key spy” for UK’s Secret Intelligence Service – MI6.

Mizan news agency claimed Akbari was “one of the most important agents of the British spy service who collected important information and provided this for the British spy service in a fully informed and targeted manner”.

#UK #Iran ; British foreign minister James Cleverly says Iran must halt execution of Alireza Akbari #علیرضا_اکبری - the former deputy defence minister has been found guilty of spying for MI6-he says he was tortured into confessing to crimes he didn’t commit pic.twitter.com/aElqT4FpAD

— sebastian usher (@sebusher) January 11, 2023

The agents of Iran’s intelligence ministry uncovered the espionage by feeding Akbari false information, the Tasnim news agency claimed.

As per BBC, Akbari was called to Iran at the request of a top diplomat involved in nuclear talks. Once he reached the Islamic Republic, he was accused of obtaining top-secret intelligence from Shamkhani, “in exchange for a bottle of perfume and a shirt”.

“This spy was in the process of obtaining a visa from the British Embassy by intelligence agents stationed there,” CNN cited Mizan as saying.

It is unclear when the former Iranian official was sentenced to death. A statement from the Iranian judiciary said on Wednesday, “After collecting ample evidence on Akbari’s espionage activities, his case was referred to the court of revolution that has now delivered a sentence of execution for him”, The Telegraph reported.

As per The Guardian, Akbari had appealed his death sentence, but it was rejected by Iran’s Supreme Court over three months back.

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Family rejects charges

Akbari and his family have denied Iran’s espionage charges.

In an audio message shared by BBC Persian, Akbari alleged he was “interrogated and tortured” by intelligence agents “for more than 3,500 hours” in over 10 months.

“I was charged with obtaining top secret intelligence from Iran’s head of National Security Council in exchange for a bottle of perfume & a shirt during Rouhani’s administration,” Alireza Akbari said in an audio file obtained by BBC Persian.

pic.twitter.com/7gP3MOcU6h

— Parham Ghobadi (@BBCParham) January 11, 2023

He claimed he was given “psychedelic drugs” during the interrogation, while 10 cameras recorded his confessions.

“By using physiological and psychological methods, they broke my will, drove me to madness and forced me to do whatever they wanted. By the force of gun and death threats they made me confess to false and corrupt claims,” Akbari was quoted as saying by BBC.

Akbari’s wife, Maryam Akbari, who is based in London, told The Guardian that he is “entirely innocent and the victim of political games inside the country”.

“There is no evidence that he was a spy except a confession that was extracted after he was drugged and interrogated for 3,500 hours. He loves his country, but this is part of a political power game inside Tehran. His only contacts with British officials were those permitted by his official status,” she added.

Maryam also said she fears her husband would be executed within the next 24 hours, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.

The UK Foreign Office has said it was providing support to Akbari’s family “and have repeatedly raised his case with the Iranian authorities. Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access”, CNN reported.

Alicia Kearns, chair of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said Akbari might have been targeted because of his closeness to Shamkhani, who she described as a “moderate voice… [who] has been calling for discussions and dialogue” with regard to the ongoing anti-hijab protests in Iran.

“It is also a chance for the Iranians to reiterate their narrative that the British government, the American government, are trying to undermine the regime and overthrow the Iranian regime,” Kearns told BBC Radio 4.

Several Iranians with dual nationality and foreign citizenship have been arrested by Tehran in recent years, mostly on espionage and national security charges, noted BBC.

With inputs from agencies

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