Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Chiara Fiorillo

Prince Harry dragged into row over Brit's execution as Iran aims threatening dig at UK

Prince Harry has been dragged into the row between the UK and Iran over a British man's execution after he confessed in his memoir Spare that he killed 25 Taliban when he was younger.

The Duke of Sussex came under fire after claiming to have taken out more than two dozen enemies during two tours of Afghanistan.

Security experts blasted Harry, who stepped down as a senior royal in 2020, amid fears his comments could lead to UK forces being targeted.

Today, the Duke was also criticised by the official Twitter account of the Iran Foreign Ministry which said Harry showed no remorse over the killings of "innocent" people and accused Britain of allowing this "war crime".

The critic came following claims that a British citizen has been executed in Iran after being accused of spying for Mi6, according to state TV.

Harry revealed in his memoir that he killed 25 people in Afghanistan (PA)

Alireza Akbari, who served as deputy defence minister during the tenure of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, was arrested sometime between 2019 and 2020 and accused of spying for the UK.

Iranian state TV confirmed the execution on Twitter, saying that Akbari had been executed after facing charges of "corruption and widespread action against the internal and external security of the country through espionage for the intelligence apparatus of the British government".

The Iran Foreign Ministry said that after Harry's claims about killing 25 people, the UK is not in a position to preach about human rights.

Alireza Akbari was executed by the Iranian regime (Khabaronline News Agency/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)

The tweet said: "The British regime, whose royal family member sees the killing of 25 innocent people as removal of chess pieces and has no regrets over the issue, and those who turn a blind eye to this war crime, are in no position to preach others on human rights."

Harry explained he revealed he killed 25 Taliban "for my own healing journey" and "in the hopes it will help others".

The Taliban branded Harry a "big mouth loser" after announcing how many kills he'd made.

Harry said he gunned down members of the fundamentalist group as if they were "chess pieces" taken off the board.

Harry has been criticised after his claims (PA)
He said he wanted to share the story for his own healing journey and to help others (PA)

Speaking to People he said: "This is something each soldier has to confront, and in the nearly two decades of working alongside service personnel and veterans, I've listened to their stories and have shared mine.

"In these conversations, we often talk about the parts of our service that haunt us — the lives lost, the lives taken.

"But also the parts of our service that heal us and the lives we've saved."

Military veterans fear terrorists could target the Invictus Games to avenge the 25 Taliban fighters killed by the ex-royal.

Harry and Meghan at the Invictus Games (Getty Images for Invictus Games)

Experts warned security at this autumn’s event for wounded soldiers will be “a nightmare”.

There are also fears Harry has jeopardised any event he attends.

Admiral Lord West, former head of the Navy, told the Sunday Mirror: “The Invictus Games is very much labelled to him and so I would have thought the threat level there will definitely be higher.

“There will be serious security issues because of what he said. Measures will have to be put in place to protect the veterans.

“And there will be people who, given half the chance, will want to do something.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.