Iran Hangs Alireza Akbari, Dual U.K. Citizen Accused of Spying

Iran said Saturday it had executed a former high-ranking defense official and dual British citizen on charges of espionage, a move likely to exacerbate tensions with the West as the government is wrestling with nationwide protests.

Alireza Akbari, a former deputy defense minister, was convicted of passing classified national-security information to the British foreign intelligence service, MI6, in return for more than $2 million in foreign currencies, the Iranian judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, said.

Mr. Akbari had been hanged, according to Mizan, which didn’t specify when the execution had taken place and didn’t provide more details.