Alireza Akbari’s wife says she was told to come to his prison in Tehran for a “final meeting”.
Image source, TwitterThe family of a British-Iranian dual national sentenced to death in Iran have told BBC Persian that authorities are preparing to execute him.
Alireza Akbari’s wife, Maryam, said an official had asked her to come to his prison in Tehran for a “final meeting”.
He has also been transferred to solitary confinement, which is seen as a sign that an execution is imminent.
The former deputy defence minister was arrested in 2019 or 2020 and accused of spying for the UK, which he denied.
He was later sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
BBC Persian has also obtained an audio message from Mr Akbari in which he says he was tortured and forced to confess in front of a camera to crimes that he did not commit.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office told the BBC: “We are supporting the family of Mr Akbari and have repeatedly raised his case with the Iranian authorities.
“Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access.”