LONDON: Britain should expel Iranian diplomats in response to the execution of a British-Iranian dual citizen, a relative of the deceased has told the Daily Telegraph.
The Iranian Deputy Defense Minister, Alireza Akbari, was accused of spying for Britain before his death.
He said he endured 3,500 hours of brutal torture before confessing to the charges that led to his execution on Saturday.
The 61-year-old served between 1997 and 2005 in the reformist administration of former President Mohammad Khatami.
Akbari left Iran for Britain in 2008 after facing persecution by the country’s new hardline regime led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In 2009, Akbari was arrested during a visit to Iran on charges of espionage.
His nephew Ramin Forgani told the Telegraph that his uncle’s execution “cannot go unanswered” and that Britain’s minimum response should be the expulsion of Iranian diplomats. The British government urged Iran to drop Akbari’s planned execution but to no avail.
“I was awake when I saw the news. I dont know what to say. it’s horrible. It is shocking,” said Forghani.
“It was not unexpected from this regime, but I think we were all expecting him to change his mind like he did with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, but it was not to be.
“On the diplomatic front, given that a Briton has been killed despite Whitehall calling for his release, the least response would be to expel staff and recall British (diplomats).
“I appreciate what the British government has done, but they are dealing with a disgusting regime that has no regard for human life.
“I hope there will be diplomatic consequences from the British government and this will not go unanswered.”
The UK government said on Saturday it was imposing sanctions on Iran’s prosecutor general and temporarily recalling its ambassador to Tehran, Simon Shercliffe. But British officials have yet to make a decision on the status of Iranian diplomats in London.
Forgni denied the allegations against Akbari, saying that his uncle was a “patriot” who “did everything he could to help the country”, including playing a key role in ending the Iran–Iraq War. “.
“It would be (unimaginable) for him to try to do anything in any shape or form to endanger the country or the regime,” Forgni told Sky News.
“I cannot think of his character who would try to do anything against the country. It is not digestible.
“I believe this is a political game. The regime can do anything, unfortunately, to suppress the population, but also to distract the global perspective from what is happening to the people in the country.”
Forgani told the Telegraph, ‘Akbari was a good man who was devoted to his family. Brutal regimes do this to good people and unfortunately this was one of those cases.
“I have fond memories of meeting him every Iranian New Year regardless of his work schedule. He was kind to me when I was growing up. I remember his smile.
“As I got older, he could see that I was not a supporter of the regime, but regardless, because we were family members, he was always kind to me.
“He was always smiling. He always tried to do whatever he could to help anyone, family or friends, and that’s what I will continue to miss about him.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described Akbari’s execution as “appalling”, while Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that the “disgust” of the British government had led the charge d’affaires to Iran to be summoned to the Foreign Office.