This undated handout file picture provided by Khabar Online news agency shows former Iranian deputy of defense minister Alireza Akbari, a British-Iranian national, during an interview in Tehran. (KHABAR ONLINE / AFP)
TEHRAN – Former Iranian deputy defense minister Alireza Akbari was executed on charges of "espionage against the country," the Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary reported on Saturday.
Akbari was charged with "espionage on behalf of Britain," "corruption on earth" — a term used by Iranian authorities to refer to a range of offenses including those related to violating Islamic codes — and "acting against the country's internal and external security," the report said.
According to the indictment issued against him, Akbari had "acted against Iran's national security through spying on behalf of and cooperating with the United Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6, and had held numerous meetings with enemies' intelligence officers in different countries
According to the indictment issued against him, Akbari had "acted against Iran's national security through spying on behalf of and cooperating with the United Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6, and had held numerous meetings with enemies' intelligence officers in different countries.
His anti-Iran actions had "caused severe and extensive disruption in the country's public order," read the indictment.
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Mizan added Akbari had received 1.8 million euros ($1.95 million), 256,000 British pounds ($313,100 ) and $50,000 in return for spying for the SIS.
In a statement published on its website on Wednesday, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry said Akbari had penetrated the country's sensitive strategic centers, collected important data, and sent them to the SIS deliberately.
It described Akbari as one of "the most important" agents of SIS, owing to his important position and access to sensitive data, adding that he was identified and arrested after a lengthy process.
Also on Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Simon Shercliff to protest the United Kingdom's "unconventional interference" in Iran's internal affairs.
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The director general of the Western Europe Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry delivered to Shercliff Iran's protest against the UK's "acts of sabotage against the Islamic republic of Iran's national security," the ministry said in a statement on its website.
Pointing to "tangible information about the trap set for Alireza Akbari by the British side," the Iranian official said the British government "must be held accountable over its unconventional links that led to a breach of the Islamic Republic of Iran's national security."
The director general said that "unjustified and mischievous support for a spy is at odds with claims of seeking relations based on mutual respect."
The Iranian diplomat also stressed that "taking decisive actions" to protect Iran's security does not depend on other government's consent, particularly that of the UK, while warning that continuation of such "illegal and criminal" actions will not be tolerated by Tehran.
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In reaction to Iran's hanging of Akbari, who held dual Iranian-British nationality, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned in a Saturday tweet that the execution will not "stand unchallenged."
In another tweet, Cleverly said the UK had imposed sanctions on Iran's Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri following Akbari's execution.