The execution of Alireza Akbari has received widespread condemnation (Picture: Getty Images)

A British-Iranian national who was accused of being a spy for the UK has been executed in Iran.

Alireza Akbari, Iran’s former deputy defence minister, was arrested in 2019 while travelling to the UK.

He was sentenced to death – but he and his family have always denied the charges.

The Iranian judiciary’s official news outlet Mizan reported on Saturday he had been hanged, without specifying the date when the execution took place.

His family had been asked to his prison for a ‘final visit’ on Wednesday and his wife said he had been moved to solitary confinement.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said he is ‘appalled’ at the execution, adding: ‘This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people.

‘My thoughts are with Alireza’s friends and family.’

It comes as foreign secretary James Cleverly appealed on Friday to Iranian authorities not to proceed.

He tweeted today: ‘Iran has executed a British national. This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms. This will not stand unchallenged. My thoughts are with Alireza Akbari’s family.’

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, said Iran must be ‘held accountable’ for their actions.

He said: ‘Labour condemns the atrocious, cowardly and authoritarian execution of Alireza Akbari by the Iranian regime in the strongest possible terms.

‘Our thoughts are with his family at this time of immense grief.

‘The Iranian regime must be held accountable for its flagrant breaches of human rights and international law.

‘All state-sanctioned death sentences must be immediately quashed.’

He alleges he was tortured for more than 3,500 hours by intelligence forces (Picture: Shutterstock)

Alireza Akbari is Iran’s former deputy defence minister and was held in Iran since 2019 (Picture: Reuters)

The Foreign Office has been supporting Mr Akbari’s family and had repeatedly raised his case with Iranian authorities.

It requested urgent consular access, but Iran’s government does not recognise dual nationality for Iranians.

The US had also joined the UK and called for Iran not to execute Mr Akbari.

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He previously alleged he was ‘tortured and interrogated’ by intelligence forces for more than 3,500 hours and also accused Iran of seeking revenge on the UK by executing him.

Iran has detained a number of dual and foreign nationals in recent years, including British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was held in 2016 and released last year.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment by Metro.co.uk.

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Alireza Akbari had been arrested in 2019 and sentenced to death.