Tehran summons UK ambassador over interference in domestic issues

"In reaction to Britain's unconventional interventions, including in the national security field of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Simon Shercliffe, the country's ambassador to Tehran, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the director general of Western Europe," the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The Iranian official conveyed to the British government the Islamic Republic’s protest over London's destructive measures which run counter to Iran's national security.

The statement came on the same day that Alireza Akbari, a former Iranian official, was executed after he was sentenced to death on charges of spying for the British intelligence agency.

The convict, who had been sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth” and “extensive activities against the country's internal and external security” through espionage for the British government’s spy agency, was hanged on Saturday.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry official told Shercliff that Iran had obtained solid information about London's unconventional communication with Akbari, saying the UK government should be held accountable over the issue that violated the Islamic Republic's national security.

He emphasized that the “unjustified and mischievous support” for the spying agent is not compatible with the claim of relations based on mutual respect.

He said Iran would not need permission from other countries, including Britain, to take a firm action to protect its national security, and warned that the continuation of such “illegal” moves would not be acceptable at all.

The British government must accept the consequences of the continuation of such unconventional and interventionist approach, the Iranian diplomat added.

He noted that Iran's Civil Law does not recognize dual nationality and therefore London’s destructive interference and remarks under such a pretext have no legal basis.

The Iranian official condemned any unorthodox move which threatens national security and called on the British diplomat to inform his respective country of Iran's protest.

This comes as Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Saturday threatened Iran that Akbari’s execution will not stand unchallenged.

"This barbaric act deserves condemnation in the strongest possible terms. This will not stand unchallenged," Cleverly said.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also said he was "appalled" by the execution.

Later on Saturday, British foreign minister, James Cleverly, said London would “temporarily” withdraw its ambassador from Tehran following the execution of Akbari.

"I will decide obviously in consultation with my colleagues in government what further actions we may choose to take but I'm not going to speculate about those today," he added.

Meanwhile, the UK foreign secretary said his country has placed sanctions on Iran's Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri over the execution of the former Iranian official.

"The UK has sanctioned Iran's Prosecutor General. Sanctioning him today underlines our disgust at Alireza Akbari's execution," Cleverly said, adding that Britain holds Iran to account for what he claimed "appalling human rights violations."

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Saturday summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Paris over Akbari's execution, the ministry said in a statement, expressing its indignation about the case.

It accused Iran of repeated violations of international law which "cannot go unanswered."