Iran says UK's reactions to Akbari's execution prove "maliciousness" against Iranians

TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian judiciary spokesman said on Wednesday that Britain's "hasty" reactions to the execution of one of its "prominent spies" is indicative of its "malicious actions" against the Iranians.

Masoud Setayeshi made the remarks in an address to a weekly press conference, commenting on the execution of former Iranian deputy Defense Minister Alireza Akbari on charges of espionage on behalf of Britain, and Britain's reactions to the move, according to the Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary.

Setayeshi gave the assurance that the entire processes for Akbari's trial and execution were gone through by the Iranian judicial apparatus "accurately and with full legal dominance."

He added the Iranian judicial apparatus is determined to continue pursuing the case in domestic and international courts until the Iranian people's rights are fully protected.

Mizan on Saturday reported the execution of Akbari, who held dual Iranian-British nationality, on charges of "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."

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."

In reaction to Iran's hanging of Akbari, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned in a Saturday tweet that the execution will not "stand unchallenged."

In another tweet, Cleverly said Britain had imposed sanctions on Iran's Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri following Akbari's execution.