Former Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Sentenced to Death

Former Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Alireza Akbari, who is accused of espionage for British intelligence, has been sentenced to death. This was reported by the BBC, citing his relatives.

Akbari's wife told reporters that Iranian authorities recently contacted her and requested that she visit the prison for a final meeting with her husband. Furthermore, Akbari has been moved to solitary confinement, which may indicate the inevitability of the death penalty.

It is noted that Akbari holds dual citizenship, British and Iranian. He was arrested in 2019 and charged with espionage for Britain.

Akbari himself has denied all charges, stating that authorities tried to extract a confession from him through torture. London continues to monitor the fate of the official, as the former deputy minister holds British citizenship.

“Our priority continues to be his immediate release. We have again sent a request for urgent consular access,” said officials from the UK Foreign Office.

Previously, it was reported that the court in Iran's Isfahan province sentenced three protesters to death, accusing them of murdering police officers. According to the government-affiliated Tasnim news agency, the accused had colluded beforehand to kill three police officers during unrest in Isfahan on November 25, 2022.