Iranian Ex-Official Sentenced to Death over Spying for UK’s MI6

Iranian judiciary's Mizan News Agency reported on Wednesday that the trial of Akbari, who was detained by intelligence forces on suspicion of espionage for foreign intelligence organizations, was held in the presence of his attorney and that the death sentence was handed down based on "substantiated evidence."

The Iranian Supreme Court upheld the verdict after he asked for an appeal.

Additional information regarding Akbari and his detention was disclosed in a statement released by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry on Wednesday afternoon.

Former deputy defense minister Akbari was identified as "one of the most infiltrating agents of the spying service of the evil UK in the country's sensitive and strategic centers" and was apprehended following a "long and multi-layered process" involving "counter-intelligence" and "deception operation."

According to the ministry, the "key spy" had repeatedly supplied intelligence gathered from sensitive centers to the enemy's spy agency while being "fully aware" of his deeds.

In the UK embassy in Tehran, where he had gone to pick up a visa, Akbari met with a number of British intelligence agents, according to the statement. He thereafter became a "full-fledged employee" of the MI6 during his personal trips to Europe.

The statement continued, saying that he was detained following the issuance of a judicial order, and that Iran's counterintelligence personnel interfered in the conversation between him and the MI6, infusing “guided information” into it.

“Even though the evil English enemy has managed to take advantage of this person's frailties and recruit him, they undoubtedly do not know which portion of the gathered information is genuine and (which part is) misleading,” The Intelligence Ministry continued.

A UK Foreign Office spokesman responded to the sentence by saying they had brought up his situation with the Iranian authorities, according to the Telegraph. “Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access,” the official spokesman stated.

Since the 1953 coup against Mohammad Mosaddeq's democratically elected government, the United Kingdom has engaged in extensive intelligence operations in Iran.

In recent years, Iranian intelligence agencies have detained a large number of spies with foreign connections who had previously carried out acts of sabotage against Iranians and their infrastructure. Members of two Mossad-connected spy teams were apprehended on Tuesday, leading to the most recent arrest.